The issue of John Elkann and Benedetto Vigna’s comments is a topic that is often discussed. The Ferrari leadership has, on several occasions, made statements that raised eyebrows among the fans, who were left surprised by the silence surrounding the Carlos Sainz case.
Both the president and the CEO of the Prancing Horse were indeed present in Las Vegas for the penultimate event of the 2023 Formula One season. Nevertheless, they did not give any interviews regarding what happened to Carlos Sainz. The Spanish driver, during FP1, hit one of the drains along the track, causing significant damage to his single-seater. The impact, exclusively related to a track that, on its debut day, sparked various controversies, damaged the gearbox, chassis, and power unit.
In this regard, Frederic Vasseur immediately asked the Federation for permission to change the damaged components without incurring any penalties. The response received was negative, forcing the Spaniard to start from the twelfth position, despite securing the front row in qualifying.
This decision caused a stir within the paddock and among the fans. Several drivers stood by Carlos Sainz, all agreeing that the regulations should be reviewed to protect the teams in similar cases.
Among the many statements on the subject, however, are missing those from the Ferrari leadership. Fans expected some words from John Elkann and Benedetto Vigna on the incident since both were on-site. The attitude of the leaders of the Scuderia adds to some past statements that sparked discussions.
From Benedetto Vigna alluding to the “car with unprecedented speed” when talking about the SF-23 to John Elkann’s “fortunately, we secured the fastest lap” after the 2019 Baku GP. In between, many sporting disappointments and few sporadic words.
Certainly, statements alone are not enough to bring Ferrari back to the top, a team forced to watch rivals succeed for more than fifteen years. What is certain is that the Prancing Horse no longer has the political weight it once had, and the leadership’s attitude in incidents like the one in Las Vegas has once again left supporters of the Maranello team perplexed.
Source: f1ingenerale
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