Fred Vasseur’s three challenges in 2024: a winning Ferrari, reinforcements and political weight

Every year is touted as an exam to face, a rule in Formula 1 that holds doubly true for a Ferrari fasting from championships since 2007 when Kimi Raikkonen clinched the title in a dramatic finale in Brazil. The Scuderia is seeking a revival after a season below expectations, securing only one victory with Carlos Sainz in Singapore, and facing a daunting task to approach Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.

FRED HAS A LOT AT STAKE

Less than four weeks remain until the unveiling of the new car, currently taking shape in Maranello, with leaks suggesting changes to the chassis, aerodynamics, and engine. The revolution will be both external and beneath the surface, shaping the car’s form and power unit content. The goal is to have a faster and more consistent car in race pace (improved tire degradation) and a reliable one (three retirements for technical failures in 2023). It is the first Ferrari entirely under Frederic Vasseur’s direction. Last year’s car was conceived under Mattia Binotto’s management, and Fred Vasseur inherited it in January when he stepped into Maranello. So, while the Frenchman could excuse himself for not being the project’s originator back then, he now puts his stamp on the team and the car. The responsibility is significant.

Therefore, 2024 will be a pivotal year for Fred Vasseur, potentially influencing his future with the Prancing Horse. Despite the immense pressure, he appears composed, as seen in his last public appearance before Christmas, maintaining his smile. Having spent almost three decades in the racing world, he often draws parallels with seasons where he fought for the economic survival of his own teams, risking closure every day. Guiding the world’s most important team now represents a privilege, even with enormous pressures. Ferrari must return to winning some Grand Prix races, recapturing the momentum from early 2022, and show more competitiveness against Red Bull throughout the season. This is the reasonable minimum target for the ambitions of President John Elkann, considering that the rivals are still strong favorites for the title. The fate of 2025 might also hinge on the progress made in 2024.

NEW TECHNICIANS, RESULTS ARE NEEDED

So far, Fred Vasseur has followed a career philosophy emphasizing stability. He has maintained this approach at Ferrari, evident in the confirmation of Enrico Cardile and Enrico Gualtieri as technical directors for chassis and power unit, respectively, despite stumbles in previous years. While partly a forced choice after the failed attempt to acquire key figures from Red Bull, such as Technical Director Pierre Wache and Aerodynamics Chief Enrico Balbo, other options were discarded. For example, the return of Simone Resta, who recently left Haas, has remained under contract with Ferrari but doesn’t currently fit into F1 plans. Fred Vasseur has full confidence in the trio at the pit wall, Matteo Togninalli (chief engineers), Ravin Jain (strategy chief), and Diego Ioverno (sporting director).

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However, there is a lack of a right-hand man overseeing Maranello during Fred Vasseur’s absence at races, monitoring car developments. Regarding the team strengthening campaign, another significant challenge for Vasseur, much will depend on the results in the early races of 2024. A competitive Ferrari could drive the recruitment of valuable engineers from other teams, in addition to those already hired in the middle tiers and Loic Serra, the former performance director at Mercedes who will be available from January 2025. The departure of Marco Matassa, sought by Laurent Mekies at AlphaTauri, and the appointment of Jock Clear to lead the Ferrari Driver Academy, replacing him, are also noteworthy. Improving some internal procedures, especially concerning strategies, is necessary within the team. In certain instances, the “remote garage” in Maranello tasked with predicting race scenarios has not been flawless. However, Fred Vasseur holds the opposite view and believes there’s no need to reorganize the department.

TOUGH DECISIONS ON THE F1 TABLES

In return, the Ferrari team principal will have a fair amount of work on the political front. Discussions on renewing the Concorde Agreement beyond 2025, the need to monitor compliance with the budget cap after the Red Bull case, and the turmoil within the FIA (especially Steve Nielsen’s departure) on the eve of drafting the technical regulations for the new 2026 cars are all thorny issues Fred Vasseur must address. It is crucial not to be caught off guard by decisions concerning the future of F1. Ferrari must assert its weight and history if it wants to start in pole position for the upcoming challenges.