Ferrari Head of vehicle concept David Sanchez confirmed his surprise immediate departure, most likely for McLaren, while other key senior figures have contracts with the Maranello team which are only available until the end of the 2023 season. This means we should expect other departures alongside that of David Sanchez and there is one in particular that could have a significant importance: according to several Italian news media outlets, Laurent Mekies has expressed his intention to leave the Scuderia.
For now, there are no confirmations regarding the possible exit of Enrico Cardile, although his contract with Ferrari will also soon expire, and also for other key figures from the engine department. The Frenchman, ex Fia, seems to have offers from Alpine, Liberty Media and the FIA itself, but the contract with Ferrari would be rather complicated to terminate, if not by paying an important penalty.
Frederic Vasseur who would like to keep him with the team, but Laurent Mekies’ discontent arises from the presence of Benedetto Vigna, who has now become much more involved in the activities of the Racing Division as compared to the previous years. We have already reported in recent months that Fred Vasseur’s choice suited the current CEO of Ferrari above all else. John Elkann wasn’t convinced (he would have wanted a more prominent character), Benedetto Vigna was and convinced the Ferrari president.
The Italian manager took over GES so easily given the fact that Frederic Vasseur could not have a say in the matter, leaving him the role of sporting director. However, that was not exactly the plan. These decisions also have repercussions on Laurent Mekies and the other top-level figures in the team, with the French manager who would like to deal more with Fred Vasseur and not with Benedetto Vigna, similarly to when Mattia Binotto was there. However, the management ‘powers’ of GES were taken over by the Italian manager and it is no coincidence that the latter pushed hard for the departure of Mattia Binotto, with whom Fred Vasseur often talks, something not fully appreciated by the current CEO. But if he does not want to command himself, given the dissatisfaction already expressed by Fred Vasseur, he will certainly have to take a step back. While John Elkann, who had given Vigna full powers (for this reason he was never been seen again in Maranello), will have to take the field directly, putting things back in his place and retracing the perimeters of competence, according to formu1a.uno.
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Without forgetting the Charles Leclerc chapter. A driver whose contract is available until the end of the 2024 Formula One season and who would like to win a world championship as soon as possible but who is now understandably very worried. Those important guarantees received from John Elkann last autumn, with whom he often speaks, were canceled a few weeks after the start of the 2023 world championship. Especially after putting a car on the track that did not show the potential seen in the factory, situation that as usual in Ferrari leads to hunt for the culprit, worsening the quality of the internal environment.
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