Taking a breather after a more than disappointing season is exactly what the men in red need; the last race held, the one in Belgium, tantalized Ferrari fans with a podium that resulted more from particular circumstances than from work that’s finally bearing fruit. In fact, these fruits seem to be eluding them altogether, as if a metaphorical Ferrari summer has never truly blossomed and, at this point, will never bloom.
The proclamation is the same year after year: “we’re already focusing on next year’s car.” An eternal return to the same situation, resembling more of a prison than a path to success. After initial promises of redemption, everything quickly dissolved into a soap bubble made of disappointments and bitterness. The SF-23 isn’t a car anywhere near Red Bull’s league, though it’s worth mentioning that in this regard, they have plenty of company.
But the excuse of “misery loves company” doesn’t hold here. There’s truly nothing to find solace in; instead, it’s time to roll up sleeves and embrace humility. Ferrari hasn’t been the pinnacle of Formula 1 for years: it’s not a secret to everyone except Maranello. Thus, the month of August will serve the entire team and environment to recalibrate short-term goals. Only through small steps can Ferrari regain the positions befitting its history.
That’s why the goal to achieve by the end of the season is to put a car on the track with the right setups, considering that even Maranello’s engineers struggle to understand their own creation. It seems paradoxical, especially given that we’re in August, but this is the current situation, somberly confirmed by team principal Frederic Vasseur.
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The impending renewal of Charles Leclerc’s contract could provide greater stability to both the Maranello team and the fans, knowing they have a phenomenon at the helm for many more years, increasingly at the heart of the project. Of course, the situation of Carlos Sainz needs to be resolved, but the Spaniard knows well, deep down, the role he plays within the team. The matter of drivers, as always, remains the least of Ferrari’s problems.
A month of vacation and then back to racing, at Zandvoort, Max Verstappen’s home turf. Needless to say who will win. What will be significant is Ferrari’s confirmation as the second force: another podium, the second in a row, could give momentum to the latter part of the season for the Scuderia and make the team work better at the factory, also in anticipation of 2024. Although this Red Bull seems to hold such a wide advantage that deluding oneself about next year would be counterproductive.
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