Speaking about Ferrari will not be straightforward as of late. 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 the whole Maranello atmosphere into disaster. The issue will not be about disappointing expectations, nor about not with the ability to struggle for the title. The essential concern 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 automotive that performs higher than the one seen in Abu Dhabi, however this growth course of has yielded fewer outcomes in comparison with McLaren, clearly, but additionally in comparison with Mercedes and Pink Bull.
On the finish of final season, it was virtually at all times simply the papaya workforce and the Italian workforce preventing for victories, whereas now, even when not on the early-2024 ranges, Max Verstappen is as soon as once more persistently preventing on the entrance (solely the second driver at Milton Keynes is struggling), and Mercedes usually finishes on the rostrum and is now Ferrari’s primary rival. The dramatic facet might 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 to this point 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 way is required
We made an extended introduction, nevertheless it’s vital to grasp Ferrari’s inside psychology. There’s lots of confusion. Typically the automobiles are aggressive on Friday, then they aren’t on Saturday and Sunday. Different instances, they aren’t quick on Friday, unimpressive on Saturday, after which robust on Sunday, as occurred with Leclerc in Jeddah. In some instances, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton appear to carry out equally; at different instances, their competitiveness ranges differ an excessive amount of, and Saudi Arabia, once more, clearly confirmed this. And worryingly, no clear and exact rationalization is offered.
There’s dysfunction, lots of dysfunction. On this context, what’s the level of bringing updates? From the skin, it appears to be like like trial and error. In Jeddah, developments in regards to the ground, 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 traditional race, even contemplating Charles’s superb efficiency, it might have been very tough to attain the identical consequence.
Beating Mercedes is already a very good factor, however you can’t struggle dysfunction with much more dysfunction. We want to see a cleaner method, at the least a way. Listening to the drivers disenchanted with the efficiency, not absolutely understanding the explanation why, and however studying that new updates will arrive at Imola, doesn’t appear to us to be stepping into the correct course.