Ferrari has noticed a change over the past two seasons, with Fred Vasseur correcting the mistakes of Mattia Binotto’s reign.
In the last 18 months, only one team, apart from Red Bull, has managed to sniff victory. With wins in Singapore 2023 and Australia 2024, there are signs that Ferrari is heading in the right direction after its stumbles in 2022.
There is no doubt that Ferrari understands the ground effect regulations very well, which have only been overcome thanks to Adrian Newey’s technical team. At the start of 2022, it was the F1-75 that came out strong and, at first, it seemed to have its legs over Red Bull.
But as Red Bull stepped up in its car and, more importantly, reduced excess fat in its RB18, tension began to build on Mattia Binotto’s team. Mistakes were never far away, with all sorts of weird and glorious strategic mistakes, as well as questionable operational decisions.
The turmoil has become more pronounced as the season has progressed, with Ferrari’s design philosophy neutralised by measures taken through the FIA to lessen the porpoise effect that threatened the fitness of the drivers on the grid. A technical directive, TD/039, brought Belgium and Coincidentally or not, Ferrari didn’t win any other races that season after winning 4 and struggling to get more in the first half.
But it was the bizarre strategic and decision-making errors that made Ferrari’s headlines. In Hungary, Alpine’s speed had collapsed once the hard tyre was fitted, but Ferrari, seeing this, opted to do the same with Charles Leclerc as the Monegasque struggled. for the win, or at least for the podium.
That decision was so bad that not only did Leclerc get temporarily stuck and overtake Max Verstappen, then his championship rival, but the Dutch driver had time to turn, allowing Leclerc to come back, only for Verstappen to catch him and overtake him again on the road. victory. Leclerc finished sixth, after starting third.
This is just one example of the kind of shenanigans that could be expected from Ferrari not so long ago and, between Binotto’s mistakes and constant calls for calm, and promises to do more, something that has never been proven, it has burdened the team. boss querido. su job.
As likeable and likeable as Binotto has been, and thanks to his long experience as an engineer within the Scuderia, he knew how to move the team forward in terms of building the car. But they are the finer processes and others control them. that Binotto seemed to overlook, with the cartoon-like chaos of Ferrari taking stock of laughs until the end of 2022.
Let’s look at a handful of races in 2024, and that laughter has indeed ceased. Ferrari is no longer a Hanna-Barbera-type team that’s just there to entertain itself, and has managed to move from clever effects to waste in a willing team. Take strategic risks and make them work.
This was demonstrated in Japan through a rather unconventional qualifying performance on Saturday, when Carlos Sainz qualified fourth with Leclerc in eighth, as he didn’t really understand why there was no speed.
On race day, Sainz used the more consistent two-stop strategy to take third place, but it was Leclerc’s attempt to adopt a one-stop strategy that could be finished as he revealed that at the end of the day it turns out that there is acceptance as true between the drivers and the pit wall.
Radio communications between Leclerc and race engineer Xavier Marcos reveal that, as the race unfolded, Ferrari had made it clear to Leclerc that it expected the hard tyre to be slower than expected depending on Mercedes’ pace. A lesson learned from Hungary 2022, then?
But Leclerc has indicated that he needs to continue with “Plan C”, that is. The one-stop-shop to pass the hards, but he couldn’t lose time to his two-stop rivals. Leclerc’s speed proved revealing, maintaining his average level. The tyres were alive until lap 26 and let Verstappen pass without wasting any time: his mistake allowed Perez to pass the signal that, despite everything, it was time to pit.
Salvaging fourth place (and not far from third) was a vital result from eighth on the grid against tough rivals, and underlined the huge strides Ferrari has made in cultivating a new philosophy of acceptance, whether from the drivers to the pits. wall, and from the pit wall to the skills of its drivers.
Gone are the days of incredulous radio messages like Sainz “stop inventing guys” at 2022 Silverstone when he told him to check and hold leader Leclerc’s box after a safety car after the Monegasque driver was left out on old tyres.
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This is due to the adjustments implemented through the experienced Fred Vasseur. In contrast to Binotto’s technical history, Vasseur’s engineering expertise has given way to other people’s control over the years, dating back more than two decades when he created groups such as ASM and ART and created the company Spark Racing Technology that creates the Formula E chassis.
But Vasseur’s Formula 1 pedigree is neither long nor rich. He appointed Renault team principal in 2016 and resigned at the end of the season because he and CEO Cyril Abiteboul had been unable to agree on a direction to go (sounds familiar to everyone). those years later, right?)
Joining Sauber, Vasseur led the Hinwil-based team under its Alfa Romeo identity until 2022 but, while there were smart days (most notably thanks to Kimi Raikkonen), Sauber had collapsed at the back of the grid during the time Vasseur called. to Ferrari to run the Scuderia.
But under the weight of the political beast that is Ferrari, Vasseur turns out to be thriving. Having already maintained a relationship with Leclerc, having hired him as a rookie at Sauber, the Monegasque is full of praise for what the Frenchman is achieving.
“He adapts very well. I mean, Ferrari is another Alfa Romeo beast,” Leclerc said last season.
“A lot more people involved, a lot more pressure. But Fred understood what the spaces were to paint. And yes, he definitely makes a difference.
“He’s slowly implementing this new mindset, which I’m sure will make a difference in the long run. But this is also his first season with the team, so we need to give him time to see those adjustments materialise on the track. “
At the end of 2023, Leclerc effusively praised Vasseur: “I knew exactly what was in store for me when Fred arrived and I was aware of his quality. Each user is another and there has been a special bond with them: they know how to motivate. “and calm down when you want to.
“Also, he’s been very direct with me. That’s exactly what I need: someone to blame me when I’m not doing well and someone to tell me I’m fine. It’s very undeniable, but when you come to Formula 1 and you’re a Ferrari driver, there aren’t many people that honest and it’s hard to track them down.
“It takes time to get back to the top, but I have no doubt we’ll get there with him. He’s rational, he doesn’t let his feelings get the better of him, and that’s a smart thing to do because he puts everything in the right place. “perspective.
It’s worth remembering that 2024 represents the first season in which Vasseur plays a starring role, having inherited a motor race from Binotto early last year.
The competitive 2023 car still suffered from tyre wear issues that hurt the results. Between fixing those attrition issues and the strategic elements, Vasseur has duly crossed either off his list, and the team is now obviously the most productive moment on the grid when it comes to race day.
“From the beginning of the season, we are much better on the tyre management and degradation,” Vasseur said after the race at Suzuka.
“We were able to set the fastest lap in Jeddah and Melbourne. I think today it’s almost possible to achieve a tenth. “
“And I think we’ve taken a smart step forward in this case. We made a lot of progress on our weaknesses and we made a lot of progress on tyre management, the drivers, the strategy and the team. “
“We have other weaknesses and we want to do it elsewhere, and we want to do a better job. But I think this one is very well mastered.
Vasseur’s attitude is that of a gentle, calm man with a pragmatic approach, but his most difficult aspect was demonstrated at last year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, when his team was compromised by track disorders beyond his control.
The incident that wrecked Sainz’s car revealed Vasseur’s emotions, and it is precisely the kind of (justified) fandom and anger that characterises a logical and practical technique for controlling the team, precisely the technique that is now working wonders for the Scuderia.
It was also Vasseur who managed to overtake his old friend Toto Wolff by goading the newly revamped Lewis Hamilton to leave Mercedes after all his successes for a decade and dedicate himself to joining Ferrari from 2025 and before the new engine.
Making the incredibly difficult decision to abandon Sainz, at a time when the Spaniard is arguably at the peak of his abilities, shows he is not afraid to make challenging resolutions, and the union of Ferrari’s beloved prodigal son Leclerc with Hamilton, a driving force accustomed to commanding, shows that Vasseur is not intimidated by the prospect of driving and controlling two alpha driving forces.
In just over a year, Vasseur has stamped his authority on Ferrari, and the Scuderia is doing very well. With a resilient car and engine, progression in the right direction and all the promises promised through Hamilton and the new regulations, Vasseur’s processes pay off. off immediately.
With strategic mistakes likely relegated to the past, Vasseur’s Ferrari is maximising its chances and closing the gap to Red Bull at a time when the Milton Keynes-based team would arguably not be as objective as usual.
The last time a Frenchman drove Ferrari, it took a few seasons before Jean Todt and Michael Schumacher won ahead of them. Who would be brave enough at this level to rule out the possibility of a Vasseur-led Ferrari featuring Leclerc and Hamilton doing the same?2026?
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