Flavio Briatore gives verdict on Ferrari’s recent performance: “Nothing fantastic”. Flavio Briatore gives verdict on Ferrari's recent performance.

The former team principal of Benetton and Renault commented on the current situation of the Maranello team after the Suzuka race.

A Step Backward

The Japanese outing at Suzuka has brought Ferrari back down to earth. After the surprise victory in Singapore, favored by Red Bull’s unexpected slip, the excellent strategy from the red pit wall, and, especially in the final part of the race, Carlos Sainz’s perfect defensive driving, the Prancing Horse has once again had to reluctantly acknowledge the hierarchical pecking order of this period.

Charles Leclerc (fourth) and Carlos Sainz (sixth) managed to claw back four points from Mercedes in the Constructors’ standings, but they had to yield to the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the race for the podium. Everyone, of course, behind the unbeatable Max Verstappen.

Flavio Briatore’s Analysis

Interviewed by the Italian newspaper Il Riformista, Flavio Briatore wanted to analyze the performance of the Scuderia Ferrari. However, the Italian manager was not particularly impressed by the results of the two SF-23 cars, which, despite showing a clear improvement since the summer break, didn’t elicit much enthusiasm from him. “Ferrari is more or less there; they have to compete with McLaren. Unfortunately, there’s nothing fantastic to say about the Maranello machines,” commented Briatore, who in recent years has returned to work in Formula 1 as a sort of ambassador for the sport. This role, partly due to the 73-year-old entrepreneur’s past, particularly the Crashgate scandal in 2008, has not been without controversy.

Now, with six races to go, Ferrari is only 20 points behind Mercedes and could potentially secure that second place among the Constructors, an objective indicated by Team Principal Frederic Vasseur after the early races of the 2023 Formula 1 season.

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