Rene Arnoux criticizes Ferrari’s F1 crisis: “An embarrassing contrast with Le Mans”. René Arnoux and other former insiders criticize Ferrari’s ongoing F1 struggles.

Unflattering Comparison
This weekend, Formula 1 returns to action at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, two weeks after the Canadian Grand Prix. That race marked yet another low point in Ferrari’s season. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were never in contention for victory or even a podium finish in Montreal, crossing the line in fifth and sixth place. Making things worse, their performance was put to shame by Ferrari’s result at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the #83 crew delivered the team’s third consecutive victory in the endurance classic.

In the World Endurance Championship, Ferrari has won all four races so far this season. In contrast, the F1 team has only secured three podiums in ten Grands Prix. Autosprint magazine asked several former Ferrari drivers and engineers to analyze the Scuderia’s current struggles under the leadership of Fred Vasseur. Their assessments were notably sharp, with former French F1 driver René Arnoux delivering perhaps the harshest verdict, calling Ferrari’s F1 season a “disaster” and openly criticizing the team principal.

Criticism from the Past
“We’re facing something strange, almost embarrassing,” said 76-year-old Rene Arnoux in an interview with Autosprint. “On the same day, Ferrari goes to Le Mans with 300 people and shocks the world, beating everyone for the third time in a row. Meanwhile, in Montreal, they bring 1,200 people and a massively larger budget—and still don’t even play a supporting role in a race dominated by others. This is unacceptable. In F1, if we’re honest, a real disaster is unfolding—and not just since yesterday.”

His comments on Fred Vasseur’s leadership were no more forgiving: “Nothing personal against him,” Rene Arnoux added, “but I believe in simple logic. I like those who deliver real results first and talk later. Here, we have a situation where there are no results, but a lot of talking. There’s always someone to blame, but in reality, the stopwatch is the only true judge—and unfortunately, the stopwatch is not defending this Ferrari. The truth is, if Fred Vasseur can’t deliver wins, he should at least take responsibility. Otherwise, what’s the point of his role?”

The Missed Opportunities
During the winter, Ferrari signed the most successful driver in F1 history, bringing Lewis Hamilton onboard. However, the seven-time world champion has been struggling to adapt to the team and its new car. Meanwhile, Adrian Newey—long courted by Ferrari—ultimately chose to join Aston Martin after a drawn-out negotiation failed to give him full creative control. On this subject, former Ferrari engine designer Modesto Menabue was equally critical of the team in his comments to Autosprint: “It’s like if Napoli in the ’80s hadn’t signed Maradona,” he said in a football analogy. “How would they have won the titles? The truth is, apart from Enrico Cardile—who wasn’t and isn’t the problem—Ferrari’s cars are always made by the same people. So how can they build the right one if they keep getting it wrong?”