Speaking about Ferrari shouldn’t be simple lately. The Prancing Horse workforce has taken a transparent step backwards in comparison with the 2024 Method 1 season, and maybe that is the purpose that’s placing all the Maranello setting into disaster. The issue shouldn’t be about disappointing expectations, nor about not with the ability to struggle for the title. The vital situation lies in witnessing a regression in comparison with final yr.
Let’s be clear. The regression we imply have to be understood when it comes to power relative to rivals. All groups, together with Ferrari, have produced a automobile that performs higher than the one seen in Abu Dhabi, however this improvement course of has yielded fewer outcomes in comparison with McLaren, clearly, but additionally in comparison with Mercedes and Crimson Bull.
On the finish of final season, it was nearly all the time simply the papaya workforce and the Italian workforce combating for victories, whereas now, even when not on the early-2024 ranges, Max Verstappen is as soon as once more persistently combating on the entrance (solely the second driver at Milton Keynes is struggling), and Mercedes typically finishes on the rostrum and is now Ferrari’s primary rival. The dramatic facet may exactly be this: a thought that creeps into the thoughts worse than a woodworm — how can a workforce transfer from being the fourth drive to second, whereas the workforce that fought for the world championship till the final nook is now thus far behind? Positive, the disqualifications in China weigh on the standings, however the issue stays.
There’s a lot, an excessive amount of confusion at Ferrari. Earlier than updates, a technique is required
We made an extended introduction, nevertheless it’s needed to grasp Ferrari’s inner psychology. There may be quite a lot of confusion. Generally the vehicles are aggressive on Friday, then they don’t seem to be on Saturday and Sunday. Different occasions, they don’t seem to be quick on Friday, unimpressive on Saturday, after which robust on Sunday, as occurred with Leclerc in Jeddah. In some circumstances, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton appear to carry out equally; at different occasions, their competitiveness ranges differ an excessive amount of, and Saudi Arabia, once more, clearly confirmed this. And worryingly, no clear and exact clarification is offered.
There may be dysfunction, quite a lot of dysfunction. On this context, what’s the level of bringing updates? From the skin, it appears like trial and error. In Jeddah, developments regarding the flooring, diffuser, and rear wing arrived. Had been there any actual steps ahead? Sadly not. Fortunately, Norris began from tenth and Leclerc managed to complete on the rostrum, but when Lando Norris had had a standard race, even contemplating Charles’s wonderful efficiency, it might have been very troublesome to realize the identical consequence.
Beating Mercedes is already factor, however you can’t struggle dysfunction with much more dysfunction. We wish to see a cleaner strategy, no less than a technique. Listening to the drivers dissatisfied with the efficiency, not totally understanding the the explanation why, and however studying that new updates will arrive at Imola, doesn’t appear to us to be getting in the correct course.