F1 | Vasseur: “Ferrari more at the limit, without fear of making mistakes”

The seed planted in January 2023 has been transformed. After more than a year the plant is visible, then it will be time for the fruits. This is what Frederic Vasseur hopes, having been in Maranello for almost eighteen months. He hopes so, obviously the entire Ferrari ecosystem hopes so, starting from president John Elkann, up to the most diehard of fans.

Vasseur responded to Motorsport.com on many hot topics, describing a team in the growth phase that has taken advantage of the critical issues that emerged in 2023, starting with the many points left by the wayside. The Scuderia team principal also spoke of the need for a change of mentality which passes through the desire to push oneself more to the limit, in every aspect, one of the qualities he recognizes in Red Bull.

‘His’ Ferrari must not be conditioned by politics, he demands loyalty from his collaborators and, for now, he underlines the absence of leaks. Finally, Lewis Hamilton, a choice that must be considered well beyond the work in helmet and suit. Vasseur is certain, the seven-time world champion will be a great added value for Ferrari.

We tend to believe that a team has only grown when it brings a competitive single-seater to the track. Is this really the case, or can we think that today Ferrari, as a team, is in better shape than the single-seater?
“Yes and no. I’ll give you an example: it’s much easier to have a good strategy when the car has an excellent pace, and vice versa, when a single-seater has a performance deficit it’s more likely that the strategy will be wrong. Today (compared to last year) we are performing better in terms of race pace, and in fact since the beginning of the year we have not had any problems relating to strategic choices. However, we have carried out a lot of specific work and at the end of last year it emerged that too many points had been left unturned.”

“I’ll start by saying that no one will ever be able to have a perfect season, but beyond Red Bull who was in another galaxy in 2023, compared to Mercedes and McLaren we lost too many points. We have taken note of this problem and are committed to make sure we no longer have these difficulties. So far I think it’s gone well, despite all the circumstances I believe that in the first races of the season we brought home the maximum points within our reach.”

“We have to consider the problem Carlos had in Jeddah, a circumstance which led to Bearman’s last-minute call. We really did everything possible to put Ollie in the best possible conditions, and Charles too in Bahrain, despite the brake problem suffered during the race , managed to finish the race in fourth position.”

Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari Team Principal, with Charles Leclerc

Photo by: Ferrari

Can we say we are in front of a growing team?
“So far we have been efficient and that is a positive aspect. Last year we lost something like 130 points along the way, a lack that affected our seasonal balance given that in the end the gap that separated us from Mercedes (in the Constructors’ standings) was only three points. They also left something along the way, but I would say half the points lost by us.”

“Then there are the requests that we already know well, i.e. having a better single-seater, more horsepower, more aerodynamic load and so on, but if you don’t then convert the technical potential into points in the standings, you still have a problem. Today we have the feeling of having started the season well, but it’s too early to draw conclusions.”

“Let’s not forget that last year after the first four races McLaren had a handful of points, they were over a hundred points behind Mercedes and Aston Martin. Then, at the end of the season, McLaren preceded Aston in the standings Manufacturers, so it’s really early to draw definitive conclusions.”

Last year you arrived at Ferrari with a season already planned by the previous management. You’ve taken some time to change things: where are we now? What’s different?
“First of all, the recruitment of personnel in the technical department. Then we made some changes in terms of sporting direction, strategy and other roles. In all these cases I believe that the results are positive. When I am at the pit wall I see a calm atmosphere, good collaboration and in general an efficient way of operating. This scenario gives me a good feeling.”

“I believe there is also a change linked to the approach. If we observe the work of Red Bull, I find that their DNA leads them to be at the limit in everything they do. I am convinced that even last year, when they had a advantage of six tenths per lap, it wasn’t a gap determined by a ‘magical’ gimmick, there weren’t 20 more horsepower or 20 points more load. I think we’re simply better than us everywhere, in many different areas, however that’s what I’m trying to push the culture of the company to be a little more aggressive.”

Have you had to deal with the fear of making mistakes? To find yourself, following an error, at risk of dismissal?
“I don’t know the past (of the company) but we know that if you always play it safe you end up taking a kilo of margin, two degrees of margin, two millimeters of margin, this way of operating means not taking risks and having a life more serene. But in the end you leave three or four tenths along the way, and this is not the way to win.”

“Today we see a great convergence of performances due to regulatory stability and we begin to see how Red Bull, unlike last year, is part of the group. But already in 2023 we have seen how between us, Aston Martin, Mercedes, and in second part of the season also for McLaren, there was such a small gap that we risked slipping from third to eighth position for just a tenth of a second.”

“This makes it clear how leaving a tenth by the way means having a huge influence on the result. If you keep a margin you’re safe but you don’t improve. The direction we’re taking is to push as a team, and I’m the first to do it. Obviously I’m also the first to accept that mistakes can be made.”

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1, with Piero Ferrari, Ferrari vice president

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Ferrari has many unique qualities, but in the paddock it is also said that it is a team with a lot of politics within it which manifests itself in many ways, such as leaks. Seen from the inside, is it really like this?
“We have a good example in this sense, when the contract with Lewis Hamilton was signed there were no leaks.”

But something has leaked out in Italy…
“No, it wasn’t a leak. I think something was said on purpose by someone in the UK (Vasseur smiles) but I can confirm it wasn’t a leak, and I really appreciate that.”

“It was an activity (related to the negotiations with Hamilton) carried out for several months by a small group, and there were no leaks until the negotiations were concluded. We had some leaks as soon as I arrived in Maranello, indeed, even before my arrival, given that I learned from the press that I would be going to Ferrari, before I even started negotiations!”.

“In the last six months there have been rumors in the media that have been confirmed as such, such as the story of Newey being spotted in Bologna. Well, Adrian had gone to film at Mugello, it’s certainly not a leak! I can’t complain, I had more news leaks in the Renault era, it happened that what I had said in some briefings shortly afterwards was on the media sites…”.

You have often underlined the importance of being able to put pressure on the Red Bulls, in the hope that feeling their opponents breathing down their necks might lead them to make some mistakes. Is this still the strategy?
“Last year they found themselves in a very comfortable situation, we never made them have to make a decision. Whether it was plan A, B or C, they were still ahead. Putting them under pressure means forcing them to make a choice that may even be wrong, let’s say that when they make mistakes we must be there. This is the first step, then the objective is undoubtedly to be faster than them, our role is not to be behind them and wait for something to happen.”

Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Until now you have never gone into the merits of the Hamilton choice and the subsequent farewell to Carlos Sainz. Seen in a broader picture, Lewis’ arrival also seemed to be a message of confidence in Ferrari’s future, along the lines of “this is the path we’ve taken”. Is this a correct consideration?
“What a driver, Lewis but not only him, is able to bring to a team goes beyond the lap time he is able to give. What we see a driver do on Saturday and Sunday is the final part of the job, in reality there is much more. You start seven or eight months before the start of a season, you work on the next project bringing your experience, your vision of what is possible and how it could be done.”

“In our case I believe that we are still a young team, it is obviously not a question of age or experience, but of experiences lived or victories obtained together. For this reason I believe that having a rider with such a great background in the group is an added value We have had time to discuss the team building process with Lewis, we want to have a long-term vision and by this I obviously don’t just mean 2025.”

“This is where we need to take steps, we have already made some improvements compared to 12 months ago, we want to involve the drivers much earlier in the project and develop the characteristics of the car with them, and with this I think we are going in the right direction. Lewis will be certainly an added value.”