Evaluating Ferrari in a detailed and analytical way is not a hobby. Especially when it appears weak and defenseless like last Sunday in the British Grand Prix. However, a loyal mind cannot exempt itself from commenting on the deeds of the Prancing Horse at Silverstone, where, in many respects, it deeply disappoints. The appreciated new aerodynamic package showcased in recent races is not to be dismissed.
Nevertheless, it is almost obvious to point out that the updates painstakingly produced by the technicians in Maranello did not meet expectations on the circuit that unfolds in the beautiful English countryside of Northamptonshire. On the contrary, for instance, the recent modifications made by McLaren on the MCL60 have made the British car fly. Without further ado, let’s get to the heart of the matter.
British GP 2023/Ferrari: inability to understand the Pirelli tires
Guess which top team made the earliest pit stop among all the presumed contenders on the track? And which team, during eleven minutes of the Safety Car period, did not change the tires for its other driver? Yes… you guessed it right, it’s the historic team from Maranello. But then again, admit it, it wasn’t difficult. In certain things, Ferrari is truly an absolute certainty. Hats off!
The learning curve of the personnel in the pit lane (and those in the remote garage in Maranello) is rather embarrassing, not up to par for a team that should, at least in theory, navigate in the top positions. Everyone struggled to understand the new Pirelli construction, also due to the variable weather conditions during this weekend.
But who really hasn’t understood them, the tires, that mysterious cylindrical black object, and who continues to not understand them for at least a decade is precisely Ferrari. When will they have a dedicated group of engineers? Conclusion: This team wouldn’t be satisfied with two thousand kilometers of illegal testing in Barcelona (intentional reference) to understand how to get the most out of their footwear.
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British GP 2023/Ferrari: ascertained strategic incapacity
If you have doubts about the pace in the race, you try to maximize the result with a flexible strategic approach. It was a fairly straightforward race with a Safety Car period in the middle that could have played to your advantage. But adhering strictly to the pre-set plan, as if they were old 386 processors (the first personal computer processors), Ferrari did not know (I dare say, did not want) to read the race.
Yet it would have been easy. Just look at the others on the track. No one was degrading excessively. Changes could have been made on the fly. They didn’t do it. Deaf to the volume of data coming from the track, the men of the red team stubbornly persisted with the initial plan. Towards disaster. And they harmed both drivers.
Conclusion: It is often said that only fools do not change their minds. Not changing one’s mind also denotes a lack of intelligence. In this case, strategic intelligence. And for some reason, Ferrari fits perfectly into the aforementioned picture, almost always. Perhaps without the “almost.”
British GP 2023/Ferrari: congenital inability to take risks
A direct consequence of the other two points, in a chain leading to the perfect disaster. Ferrari is afraid of making mistakes. If you’re afraid of making mistakes, you shouldn’t be in a top team, nor should you be in Formula One. And if you’re afraid of making mistakes, you inevitably make them. The self-fulfilling prophecy. What would have changed, in perspective, in a disastrous season and in the context of the championship’s standings, from a wrong race, perhaps being too optimistic? Frankly, nothing, as explained by F1 expert Mariano Froldi for FUnoanalisitecnica.
Final conclusion: As we have written many times, Ferrari not only has a problem with technical capabilities but also a serious issue with human capital. The pit wall is probably not even up to the level of a midfield team. And this is a problem that the team principal must solve as soon as possible. Mattia Binotto is no longer there. It’s up to Fred Vasseur. He should start changing this aspect as well, a chronic problem for at least five years, if not more.
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