Fred Vasseur confident Ferrari is “heading in the right direction” amid F1 car development. Ferrari boss feels team is "heading in the right direction" in terms of development.

Ferrari’s Team Principal, Frédéric Vasseur, believes that the Scuderia is “heading in the right direction” in this second part of the 2023 Formula 1 season. The SF-23 was born as a continuation of the F1-75 but suffers from the same tire degradation and inconsistencies that plagued the 2022 car.

At the Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari changed the car’s concept, abandoning the “slipstream” design of the side pods to favor the “downwash” effect, a trend on the grid given Red Bull’s success with that philosophy.

Even though it didn’t bring immediate success to the team, Ferrari continued to work to understand its package. The turning point came during the free practice sessions of the Dutch Grand Prix, where the team conducted various tests in preparation for the upcoming weekends.

This allowed Carlos Sainz to secure pole position and a podium in Italy before winning from pole in Singapore, ending Red Bull’s unbeaten streak in 2023.

Ferrari Team Principal, Frédéric Vasseur, believes that Carlos Sainz’s victory in the Singapore Grand Prix has given the team “confirmation” that they are heading in the right direction in terms of development.

Vasseur: “We’ve taken a good step in the right direction”
Fred Vasseur thinks that the victory in Marina Bay was crucial not only for the points gained in the battle for second place in the Constructors’ Championship but also for the team’s morale: “It was important in terms of points, but I believe the most important thing for us is to have an extra boost, to have confirmation that we are heading in the right direction. It boosted the confidence of the drivers, the team, and the factory.”

Frédéric Vasseur and Carlos Sainz celebrating their just-achieved victory, Singapore GP
“This is definitely what you build on for the future, and I think we’ve taken a good step in this direction,” the Frenchman concluded.

Has Ferrari found a new dimension in this second part of the 2023 Formula 1 season? There have certainly been improvements, but there is still a long way to go to return to the top.