Certainly, Max Verstappen and his fellow competitors showcased their dominance at the event, as expected at Suzuka. However, if we delve deeper, we can begin to witness the initial signs of competition emerging on the F1 grid.
While Carlos Sainz may be an easy target to blame, it is necessary to explore further to understand the factors contributing to his current performance.
The year 2022 proved to be a disastrous one for Ferrari, culminating in the replacement of their Team Principal, the amiable Italian engineer Mattia Binotto, with a French counterpart, Fred Vasseur.
I often sympathized with Binotto and saw him as an ill-suited fit for the role. I never anticipated that he would be able to control the unruly Ferrari team. His first obstacle was being a Swiss-born Italian, which one would assume to be advantageous.
However, the weight of national expectations made it difficult for him to transform Scuderia Ferrari into a functional entity.
Another challenge was that he was primarily an engineer and only secondarily a business manager. This approach does not align well with the demands of F1. Vasseur, on the other hand, is a skilled engineer but, above all, a tenacious pitlane fighter who achieves results through his team.
If we examine the top teams, we will observe this characteristic. Regardless of our opinions on Toto Wolff, Christian Horner, and Zak Brown, they all possess the ability to motivate their teams, negotiate deals, and stand their ground when necessary. Binotto, unfortunately, was simply too kind-hearted.
Fred was always the ideal candidate to take on the colossal challenge of Ferrari. Firstly, he is French and possesses a certain level of Gallic arrogance, a necessary trait when asserting authority over the team.
Secondly, his disarming and somewhat clownish charm can lead others to underestimate him and his team. Falling into this false narrative would be a grave mistake for any competitor.
To say that John Elkann placed a cunning fox in the Scuderia Ferrari henhouse would be an understatement. However, one might have expected more chaos and upheaval once the sly fox infiltrated.
Yet, that is not Vasseur’s style. The chickens quietly vanished, making way for the new ones without causing a fuss. Some remnants of the 2022 Ferrari chaos remained in 2023. However, as the season progressed, things gradually settled down.
The start of the 2024 season has already demonstrated that the momentum from 2023 continues to propel Ferrari forward. Yes, they have a superior car compared to last year. However, what truly sets them apart is their functional race strategy. The pit wall now radiates a sense of calm confidence and competence. Instead of relying on the drivers for guidance, which is unusual for Ferrari, they take charge and provide direction. This is the fruition of Vasseur’s efforts.
It is worth noting for the Tifosi that the last time Ferrari reigned over the F1 world, they also had a French Team Principal. It is interesting to recall that when Jean Todt assumed the role, one of his initial actions was to prohibit wine on the table during race weekends. Perhaps this was due to them serving a Valpolicella instead of a Bordeaux.
Regardless, it is said that wine made a comeback after his departure. Now, Ferrari appears to be back on track, and I suppose Fred is not one to indulge in wine.