Ferrari, between goals and concerns

The Mattia Binotto era lasted only four years, from 2019 to the end of 2022. However, we must not forget the efforts made by Binotto to turn around the Italian team. The 2022 F1-75 car is proof of that. However, it wasn’t enough for Ferrari to have a winning car; they also needed to know how to develop and understand it. They also needed a team ready to fight, and Ferrari was lacking in that regard as well. What was supposed to be Ferrari’s renaissance turned out to be a spotlight on its long-standing flaws. It didn’t take much for Ferrari to part ways with Mattia Binotto. After dashed hopes, Maranello must once again get back to work.

In 2023, a fresh wind blows over Italy. The arrival of Frédéric Vasseur this winter has brought a new dynamic to the team, perhaps a lighter one. However, while no one expected Ferrari to be on Red Bull’s level, nobody imagined seeing them far behind Mercedes and challenged by Aston Martin and McLaren. It hasn’t been an easy first year for Vasseur, but all eyes are turned towards the future. Although Ferrari is making progress this year and catching up to Aston Martin in the championship, who is lacking pace, the focus is on developments for 2024, 2025, and maybe even 2026, the year of the new regulations.

At Maranello, a construction site has opened, Frédéric Vasseur is its leader. The objective is simple, to develop a competitive car in order to be able to compete for the world championship. The task is not easy, especially when you are Ferrari, but Vasseur is working behind the scenes and recruiting personnel. There have been many restructuring measures, and most notably, the hiring of a renowned engineer: Loïc Serra. As the Director of Performance at Mercedes since 2019, the Frenchman will join the Scuderia Ferrari to work on the 2025 car. Ferrari is also looking to recruit Pierre Waché, the technical director of Red Bull, in order to strengthen their team. Although this is just a rumor and the French engineer’s departure from Red Bull seems unlikely at the moment, the ambitions are set. The Vasseur effect.

The role of pilots

The drivers also have an important role in the reconstruction of Ferrari. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have one objective: to bring Ferrari back to the forefront and win with the red team.

« “I want to win, and I want it to be in red,” declared Leclerc to The Athletic last May. Carlos Sainz expressed the same desire by saying, « “My goal is to help the team develop the car and go faster. This will allow me to fight for podiums and victories. And that’s why I’m here at Ferrari.” »

If Ferrari seems to have in their hands the ideal pairing of drivers to build a solid foundation for their future success, it is nevertheless necessary for performance to return as soon as possible. Leclerc and Sainz have a contract that expires in 2024, at the end of next season. While rumors about a renewal of Charles Leclerc’s contract circulate, negotiations with Carlos Sainz don’t seem to have really started yet. The 28-year-old Spaniard has already let the press know that if he is not clear about his future in the coming months, he will allow himself to explore other options.

For now, Frédéric Vasseur has stated that it is more important to focus on Ferrari than on the contracts of his drivers. If Charles Leclerc wishes to stay, the future of Carlos Sainz at Ferrari seems less clear. In the midst of a reconstruction, stability within the team is a key factor. The prancing horse has two drivers capable of shining for the Scuderia, so be careful not to delay too much.

Has Ferrari lost the sense of victory?

The Vasseur effect seems to be already bearing fruit and the new French Team Principal is preparing well for the future. However, there is a recurring question about Ferrari: does the team still know how to win? It has now been since 2007 that a Ferrari driver has not won the title, and since 2008 that the team has not won a constructors’ championship. The wait is long, but having seen such champions come and go like Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, and now Charles Leclerc, one gets the impression that Ferrari no longer knows how to do it. In 2022, the Maranello team made several strategic mistakes that cost them numerous victories. In Monaco, for example, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz started in first and second place. While the Spaniard held on to his second place, Leclerc suffered from his team’s poor strategic choices and finished fourth despite having the best pace among the leading drivers.

For now, Ferrari is not playing any championship or winning. However, the team absolutely must focus on the strategic aspect in order to avoid repeating past mistakes. There is nothing more frustrating for a driver than to plummet in the rankings due to errors from their team.

No room for error

Finally, Ferrari no longer has the right to make mistakes. After the failures with Alonso, Vettel, and now Leclerc and Sainz, the Scuderia could very well lose everything if they once again miss their return to the front. And by losing everything, it must be understood, losing their drivers. Carlos Sainz could leave Ferrari for Audi in the coming years if Maranello does not design a high-performing car. And we know that Carlos Sainz’s father is linked to Audi in rally-raid, which could make negotiations simpler. On the other side of the garage, Charles Leclerc could also grow tired. For the “child of Ferrari,” ambitions could take precedence over loyalty. Charles Leclerc wants to be a world champion, and if Ferrari cannot provide him with this opportunity, it would not be surprising for him to look elsewhere.

Then, if Ferrari does not meet expectations, the credibility of the team could be affected. It is not enough to have the best record in the history of Formula 1 and to have had the best drivers, if performance is not there, you will not attract anyone. Starting from the drivers but also the engineers. After the failure of 2022, Ferrari does not have the right to make mistakes, for its drivers as well as for its credibility.

Frédéric Vasseur has brought a new lease of life to Ferrari since his arrival. The next step is to confirm in the short term. One thing is certain, the car will have to be performing as quickly as possible.