Charles Leclerc is endearing when he observes that yes, okay, Ferrari is always there – almost close – but then it is never the one in front. There is always someone who does better, who develops better, who optimizes better, who exploits the opportunity better. And from counting the last world championship (19 years since the drivers’ title, 18 since the constructors’), we are moving to counting the last victory. GP Mexico 2024: 32 races, 1 year and 7 months, 574 days.
It almost makes you angry to always see Leclerc show up in front of journalists to take all the blame for the disappointing result in Miami, calling his own mistake unacceptable. It makes you angry because above him no one seems to take responsibility for yet another year started in pursuit and in which turning point Grand Prix are evoked that are consistently unmet.
The Ferrari engine has so far been the weak point of the SF-26, it is confirmed by the data and highlighted every single time by both Leclerc and Hamilton. But it did not fall from the sky in a random assignment.
In a regulatory formula where the power unit counts a lot, how can you show up so far behind at the starting line?
What happened?
What didn’t work?
How did Red Bull manage to produce a better power unit without any experience in Formula 1?
If the problem is attracting technicians to Maranello, what can be done to change course?
Team principal Frederic Vasseur has been in charge since the 2023 season, his fourth year in Maranello has started: with him at the helm, 6 GPs have been won out of 74. On average one victory every 12 Grand Prix.
The speech about needing continuity is commendable, but the only continuity that seems to exist is that of excuses: the potential, the execution, the compression ratio, the story of updates that will change everything, we are waiting for the ADUO, we were leading in control “but then the Safety Car came out“.
At Miami were president John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna, no statements received. Elkann on the Ferrari F1 topic was heard on only two occasions, at the end of March when he emphasized that “racing means learning as much as winning” and in mid-April when he spoke generically about “coming back stronger“. Vigna after Australia had said he was “happy for the good start” of the season, in a race finished third 15″ behind Mercedes, and after China he highlighted the “first encouraging signs“. Constant caresses to the work group, to the praise of the crumbs collected in recent years. Much criticism has been directed at Sergio Marchionne’s sharp style, but what results is this path bringing? Todt’s Ferrari had taken years to become winning, but at least the growth was visible season after season.
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And politically? Personally, the April 2025 meeting in Bahrain stuck with me, where the possible revision of the 2026 regulations, the split between thermal and hybrid, and future regulations were discussed. A key meeting for the future of F1 and its participants.
Here is the list of attendees, besides Ben Sulayem (FIA president), Domenicali (F1 president) and Tombazis (F1 technical director):
– Gernot Dollner (CEO Audi AG)
– Michael Moritz (COO Sauber Holding AG)
– Mark Rushbrook (Global Director Ford Performance)
– Mark Reuss (President General Motors)
– Russ O’Blenses (CEO of General Motors power units)
– Koji Watanabe (President Honda Racing)
– Tetsushi Kakuda (Executive Chief Engineer Honda Racing)
– Ola Kallenius (Chairman of the board and CEO Mercedes-Benz)
– Toto Wolff (Chairman and CEO Mercedes F1)
– Christian Horner (Team principal and CEO Red Bull F1)
– Mattia Binotto (COO and CTO Audi F1):
It caught my eye how there were corporate and racing heads from each of the engine manufacturers (3 from Audi/Sauber, 2 General Motors, 2 Red Bull/Ford, 2 Mercedes, 2 Honda). While who was there for Ferrari to pound the table? Only Frederic Vasseur, team principal, at the time with a contract expiring at the end of the year. No top company figure.
But Ferrari is much more than a positive balance sheet in the accounting books, winning the Liberty Media million-dollar distribution Grand Prix is not enough. Victory is not something that if it exists is better, it must be the only goal when working in the factory, when going on track. You have to do everything to achieve it, on the asphalt and behind the scenes. We are not talking about a team just arrived in F1 that can be satisfied with a fastest lap or 15 laps in front.
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