Ex-Scuderia Ferrari driver Jean Alesi feels new Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur should rely heavily on a seasoned Maranello figurehead in his first season at the top of the Ferrari Racing Division.
Fred Vasseur will have the difficult but also exciting task of bringing the Italian side back at the top after Mattia Binotto handed in his resignation from the lead position at the end of the 2022 Formula One championship.
The French manager had been in charge of the Alfa Romeo/Sauber team during the last six months, after a short period with Renault as team principal, while his pre-Formula 1 achievement included founding the successful ART team as well as establishing Spark Racing Technology – the company responsible for building the Formula E chassis.
Despite the fact that Fred Vasseur is arriving in Maranello following an important motorsport background, the French manager is now getting ready for one of the most difficult, scrutinised and high-pressured rules in Formula 1.
Jean Alesi, who spent several years driving for the Italian side in the early 90s and took his only Formula One race win in 1995, described the Maranello team as “unwatchable” last season as were not able to mount a title challenge against Red Bull due to poor reliability and some bad tactical decisions.
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Despite a positive start to the 2022 F1 championship, the Maranello team ended the campaign behind more than 200 points behind rivals Red Bull.
“Let’s be honest, on the tactical front, Ferrari was unwatchable last year,” Jean Alesi said in a recent interview for Italy’s Autosprint – “Things definitely need to change, otherwise there is no way out for the team.” – he added.
It seems that Fred Vasseur has opted for stability ahead of his first year with the Maranello team which means that the ex-Alfa Romeo boss does not intend to make any major restructuring or personnel changes. Jean Alesi feels the 54-year-old should lean on Sporting Director Laurent Mekies for support during the next season.
“I think Vasseur has to rely very much on Laurent Mekies,” Jean Alesi pointed out.
“Mekies has been at Ferrari for years and he can be the ideal person for Vasseur to see where things need to be changed and what, on the contrary, should stay the same because there is potential.” – the former Ferrari driver added.
Frederic Vasseur is the first non-Italian to lead Scuderia Ferrari since the departure of compatriot Jean Todt 16 years ago – Jean Todt overseeing Scuderia Ferrari’s very successful time of F1 wins and title challenges during Michael Schumacher’s tenure from 1996 onward.
However Jean Alesi advised Frederic Vasseur not to make any big cultural changes in an attempt take Ferrari out of an Italian mindset.
“If you tell me that Ferrari is going to speak or should speak more and more French, I will say no immediately. Maranello is Italian. One has to speak Italian and only Italian. I once drove for the Scuderia and there I experienced the very best moments of my career.” – Jean Alesi concluded.
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