How Italian media reacted to Ferrari's defeat to Mercedes in Constructors' Championship

How Italian media reacted to Ferrari’s defeat to Mercedes in Constructors’ Championship. Italian press review after the 2023 F1 Abu Dhabi GP.

“To beat Mercedes, we will have to do something extraordinary,” declared Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur when the gap between the Brackley team and the Maranello-based Scuderia was 50 points a few months ago. Under the checkered flag at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, the gap was only three lengths, indicating that, as proudly emphasized by the French manager, the Red Team has made a significant leap in quality from Zandvoort onwards. This allowed Ferrari to secure pole positions, a race victory in Singapore, and challenge Mercedes for second place until the last meter.

In the comparison between 2022 and 2023, Ferrari takes a step back from second to third place in the Constructors’ standings. Still, the real test for Frederic Vasseur’s management will be in 2024 since, in this Formula One season, the French manager could only inherit everything designed by the previous management led by Mattia Binotto.

“The season’s goal failed. For three points, Mercedes is the Constructors’ runner-up and will receive €9 million more from the prize distribution,” reads Italian daily newspaper La Stampa in Stefano Mancini’s article titled ‘Ferrari, Three Months to Become Great.’ “In the last two races, Carlos Sainz lost a lot of points, starting 16th yesterday and finishing in the deep rear without a hint of reaction. It is a thought-provoking theme: in previous races, Carlos Sainz had been dragging the team, until the victory in Singapore, the only Grand Prix that Red Bull failed to win. The two drivers have opposite driving styles and react accordingly to the car’s behavior. Another reason for winter reflection: race after race, Ferrari has closed in on Red Bull. After a shocking start, a long comeback began. The SF-23 of the last month is the only car capable of putting some pressure on Red Bull.” – La Stampa pointed out/

‘Waiting for the Real Vasseur’ is the title of Leo Turrini’s editorial in Il Resto del Carlino: “Working on an objectively lacking project, Jean Todt’s compatriot has somehow tried to straighten the ship,” reads the columns of the Italian newspaper. “In part, he succeeded; the Red Team showed signs of recovery from the summer onwards. Nothing exceptional, but something good was seen. The problem is that now a huge leap forward is needed. In 2024, Red Bull will start from 21 wins in 22 races. The technical rules will be the same. Have Fred Vasseur and his engineers, including new additions, understood what to do, where to intervene, how to correct the structural limits of the car? Everything depends on that. The drivers are there, with Charles Leclerc more than Carlos Sainz, as the end of the championship has shown.” – Leo Turrini concluded at the end of the 2023 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which marked the conclusion of the season.