As of yesterday, October 1st, the first two key figures appointed by Frederic Vasseur officially start their roles in Maranello. Loic Serra and Jerome D’Ambrosio met with their senior colleagues and likely, at a later moment, with the drivers, who are currently busy at the simulator and on track at Fiorano for training sessions with an older car specification (Charles Leclerc was driving yesterday) before the triple-header of races in Austin, Mexico, and Brazil.
Jerome D’Ambrosio, a Belgian former driver with extensive experience in F1 and especially in Formula E, has become Toto Wolff’s protégé and will serve as Frederic Vasseur’s deputy team principal, with a particular focus on the young drivers in the academy. He will work alongside veteran engineer Jock Clear, who is on track with Charles Leclerc in a dual role. This presence is expected to enhance the Academy’s efforts. Frederic Vasseur joked about hiring Jerome D’Ambrosio, saying, “I need someone who can say no to me, someone who can kick me when needed.” For the Belgian, it’s a great opportunity; he didn’t think twice about it, having chosen to move back from the UK.
The importance of Loic Serra
The most anticipated figure debuting is French engineer Loic Serra, also a former Mercedes employee and specialist in suspension dynamics and overall car performance on track. His background is quite interesting, as he entered F1 in the ’90s with Michelin during the fierce competition between the French tire manufacturer and Bridgestone. Together with his friend Pierre Waché—Adrian Newey’s successor and the current technical director at Red Bull—he shared ten years of experience between Michelin and Sauber. Loic Serra is the first signing of Ferrari’s new cycle. While he is not a designer, he is a specialist who knows what it takes for a car to win. He had remained somewhat in the shadows compared to some “generals” from Brackley, but for him, Ferrari represents the most significant challenge of his career.
The partnership with Lewis Hamilton
Initially, he was supposed to work under Italian aerodynamicist and former Ferrari technical director Enrico Cardile; however, after the Italian engineer moved to Aston Martin, Loic Serra was promoted even before his arrival in Maranello. Unlike the ’90s, today, attracting top names in Italy presents challenges, as the most famous designers are often under locked contracts. “We have talent and capability; we just need to address our weaknesses,” Frederic Vasseur said when reflecting on the analysis conducted at the factory. The arrival of the 52-year-old from Nancy is significant for understanding tire performance, one of Ferrari’s weaknesses over the last ten years. Typically, a new technical chief takes a year to make a noticeable impact, but in this case, quicker results are expected. Loic Serra will find a highly updated wind tunnel and the 677 model—the car Lewis will drive next year—in advanced stages, allowing him to work on the brand-new Formula 1 2026 cars in three months while reuniting with Lewis Hamilton, with whom he has already won everything at Mercedes. Frederic Vasseur thus relinquishes the interim technical director role, which was an anomaly, although he has made important decisions during this time, including advancing developments. This correct choice paid off in the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza circuit and could have yielded even more at the Singapore Grand Prix and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The Ferrari 2025 will change more than expected
The SF-24 is a good racing car; with six races left, the chances of contention are low, but it has not yet been ruled out of the constructors’ championship. At Singapore, a new front wing for medium to high downforce was showcased, which will form the basis for the 2025 car. Despite a relatively high “carry over” (translation: many parts will be the same), the new Ferrari will feature an aerodynamics package that is described in the corridors as “radically different,” along with completely revamped suspension systems to handle greater downforce, as explained by F1 expert Giuliano Duchessa for corriere.it.
A technical director present on track
The top F1 teams have a technical director who is very present on track; Adrian Newey has stated he will continue to operate this way even after moving to Aston Martin. The last Ferrari technical director with a similar presence was James Allison, now responsible for Mercedes. However, it’s true that the number of GPs has dramatically increased, making a constant presence challenging to ensure. Remote technology and artificial intelligence help mitigate this issue, but it would be beneficial to consider greater involvement in track activities; winning teams adopt this model, leading to more effective interventions at the factory. The question remains: how long will it take Loic Serra to integrate? For Frederic Vasseur, with the horizontal organization, “in the end, you always need someone to make decisions.” Yet, the French team principal has realized that making an impact in a giant setup like Maranello requires a lot of patience and, above all, a careful approach.
— see video above —
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