“The Ferrari SF-23 will be unparalleled in terms of speed.” This statement, attributed to Benedetto Vigna, is perhaps the mother of all epic fails in recent years. It’s no coincidence that the CEO’s statement from the Maranello company is being brought up more and more often to illustrate the current state of the Scuderia. And it’s certainly not a good moment for them.
The SF-23 is not fast. The SF-23 is not efficient. The SF-23 doesn’t produce the necessary downforce. The SF-23 doesn’t manage the tires well. The SF-23 is not a predictable car, nor is it easy to set up. In short, there are many things that the SF-23 fails to do. And it won’t achieve them by the end of the year. Hence, the idea gaining traction in the Ferrari Sports Management: starting from scratch, resetting everything, putting a blank sheet on the drawing board to establish new principles that can replace the ones that are not working.
Frédéric Vasseur hoped to inherit something better, but instead, he finds himself with a hysterical cat to handle. There are so many difficulties to overcome, too many obstacles found here and there to think that in just a few months, Ferrari could regain its dominant position in the world of Formula 1. While it was clear that time was needed, the decline in performance we are witnessing is less justifiable.
Last year, the F1-75, even though finishing on a decline, was the second force in the championship. Today, without looking at the standings but observing what happens on the track, the SF-23 fluctuates between being the fourth and the fifth car among those that make up the grid. The truly worrisome fact is that the tendency towards decline is becoming more evident with each race and, therefore, even following the installation of upgrades that, on paper and in the engineers’ intentions, were supposed to solve the inherent problems of a car that was poorly designed despite the second half of the 2022 Formula One season being dedicated to its definition.
Months of additional work to create, it’s futile to seek euphemistic definitions, a technical flop, a car that will keep company with other disappointing models born out of high expectations created by the same management, as the sentence that opens this article clearly and indisputably demonstrates.
Ferrari: Communication Needs Improvement
In Ferrari, there are several issues that need to be addressed. The technical aspect is one of the most important ones. However, it might be influenced by the management aspect. This is where the efforts of the French executive are concentrated, as he struggles to introduce his operational model that should replace the previous ones that which led the glorious Scuderia to the uncomfortable situation it is currently facing.
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If the management paradigm of the former Sauber will be effective, we will only know when certain dynamics are swept away. It is not guaranteed to happen because Ferrari, at times, exhibits an imperturbable stability that opposes any change. On this painful path of transformation, it is necessary to start changing the way they communicate.
There seems to be a sinister line of continuity that manifests beyond the individuals occupying certain positions. When one arrives at Ferrari, they absorb, perhaps inadvertently, the way of conveying thoughts and strategies to the outside world. Unfortunately, Fred Vasseur does not appear to be exempt from this trend, which often leads to inconsistency. Statements contradicting previous ones, which seemed like operational manifestos, now crumble and fly away.
After the initial difficulties, the former number one in sporting matters at Sauber had firmly claimed that Ferrari would maintain the fundamental concept to bring out the car’s potential with understanding and experience.
Then, the updates arrived, which showed evidence: the SF-23 gradually abandoned the inwash concept of its central area to adopt the downwash philosophy defined by the genius from Stratford-Upon-Avon working at Red Bull. From there, a long series of new and diverse underfloors, front and rear wings, diffusers, and new sidepods contradict the previous approach and especially Fred Vasseur’s words about continuity.
Is confusion reigning in Ferrari?
But it doesn’t end there. Last Saturday, after the qualifying session, in which an extraordinary Alfa Romeo emerged, the French executive praised the Swiss method, explaining with apparent and ostentatious clarity that the performance of the C43, which received relatively few and not drastic updates, shows that focusing on too many upheavals is not winning. Instead, it’s wiser to understand the car as a whole and make it work better, as explained by F1 expert Diego Catalano for FUnoanalisitecnica.
Wait, what? Yes, you read that right. The team principal of a team that revolutionized the philosophy of a crucial area of the car with a series of innovations is now saying it’s better to follow the approach of a team that hasn’t invested in changing but rather in understanding. If this is not media bipolarity or communication dissociation, then what is it?
This state of confusion probably reflects the procedural uncertainty that is still present in Maranello. If they don’t overcome this debilitating condition and if they don’t start solving one problem at a time without contradicting the previously set direction, Ferrari won’t get out of this situation. They need to be clear and explain how much time will be needed. It is now evident that they will need a lot. What sense does it make to engage in ambiguous communications that can be easily refuted with a not-so-deep historical analysis?
Fred Vasseur’s task is arduous, but surely the French manager doesn’t help himself by not keeping a straight course and deviating so dramatically from the path he himself traced. They need to be resolute and perhaps even disappoint the fans. They require a healthy and cynical realism: understanding the problems, explaining them, and trying to solve them without U-turns.
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