When Frederic Vasseur appeared at Fiorano in a red uniform he caught the eye. By the end of the day, the transition phase was already over. Formula 1 runs fast in this too, it takes very little time to make a novelty familiar, and even the press conference (Vasseur’s second as Ferrari team principal) seemed usual.
Some already known concepts were reiterated, but Vasseur also underlined some innovations, starting with the changes that will be made to the process that determines the tender strategies. The imperative is reliability, then it will be the track that will tell if there will be sectors on which to intervene, and on the other hand, as Fred underlined, we are facing an evolution and not a revolution. The regulation is the same as in 2022, and consequently also the basis of the project has not undergone profound changes. There will be news, but they will appear more or less evident during the year.
What is your feeling with the SF-23? Do you think this car can stand to win in Bahrain?
“I don’t think a slow lap at Fiorano can say much, but a lot of work has been done and I also believe in the right direction. But that’s just the beginning of the story, tomorrow we’ll be on track for the filming day and we’ll have the chance to do a few more laps before leaving for Bahrain. The first race is close, so every lap is precious to understand and familiarize yourself with the car”.
Last year the sticking points were reliability, strategy and tire management. Is there an aspect that took priority?
“I think the priority for everyone is reliability. If you’re not able to ride continuously, other problems will also be triggered, and this is already true during the tests. At the moment I can say that the scheduled dyno mileage has been completed, let’s say there is cautious optimism, but only Bahrain will start to tell us anything real about reliability and performance. With regard to the other points, I can say that the vision of a team from the outside almost never coincides with the internal one. I’ve only been here for a short time, I’ve spent the last four weeks trying to understand exactly what happened in the team last year and I won’t jump to conclusions.”
Is it a single-seater with which you think you can aim for the world championship or will something still have to come during the season?
“I think it’s in the DNA of our sport to try to improve in every single area. This goes not only for the car, but also for strategies or tire management, every aspect. Even if you solve a problem we know we have to keep improving, it’s not crucial to win or not in Bahrain, it will be crucial where we are at the end of the championship. I think we have to keep this concentration and keep this mentality, the championship is very long, 23 races await us ”.
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal Ferrari
Photo by: Ferrari
You said you are in a learning phase. Do you think that with the start of activity on the track this process will accelerate or is it enough to see the work in the factory to get an idea?
“It’s a combination, I’ve spent the last few weeks meeting the staff, one by one, to first discuss their work, then the structure of the company and its organisation. But there are so many aspects to our business that you can only see when you’re on the track. It happens to see three or four good race weekends and when the pressure increases in the fifth you realize that something isn’t perfect or in any case improvable. We will certainly have time to get to know each other, but I can say that the motivation I’ve felt so far is enormous, and this is a very positive first point. They all want to improve, and this mentality is fundamental for me. For now, my impression is very positive.”
Did you get an idea of how the process that determines tender strategies works? Will there be any changes ahead of the first race?
“Yes, we will make some small changes. But as I said it’s not about one person pressing a button. There’s software, there’s a team in the factory and it’s also a process that involves the pit wall. It’s a complex mechanism, not a person.”
Leclerc confirmed that he is a great interpreter of the qualifying lap. But overall do you think Charles has what it takes to be world champion?
“It would be a mistake to make comparisons. I don’t want to compare Charles to Carlos or other riders, the certain thing is that we have two riders who have our total trust, then as always we will work with them trying to help them with any weaknesses, the goal is to do a better job together” .
In this first period you spent in Maranello, was there anything that surprised you?
“As expected, I gained two or three kilos in the first four weeks! As for the team, well, it’s bigger than the reality I was used to, but that’s certainly not a problem. Even if there are a thousand people in my role in the end, you have to deal with the front lines, I certainly don’t go into detail about all the activities, and this ultimately requires a similar approach to managing a team like Sauber. The big difference is the expectation, I think Ferrari is the only team in the world that meets with fans outside the company gate at 7 in the morning when you arrive at the factory. You can feel the motivation and the atmosphere around the team and I can say that in the end it’s a huge boost for everyone.”
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal Ferrari, Ferrari SF-23
Photo by: Ferrari
You will have just three days of testing in Bahrain, plus just four days between the end of testing and the start of the first race weekend. Is that a problem?
“If something unexpected emerges during the tests, it could be a problem, there isn’t much time to react. Last year McLaren had a problem in testing in Bahrain, and if I remember correctly it wasn’t easy for them to resolve everything in view of the race weekend. This year the situation is a bit different considering that we are not at the start of a new technical cycle like twelve months ago, the basic concept of the single-seaters is the same as in 2022. Apart from the balance, I think everyone already has a idea of the problems they will have to face, but it is still a challenging scenario”.
Have you already planned the updates you will bring to the track during the season?
“I can’t anticipate much. As I said, Bahrain won’t be the one to say whether the championship will go well or not, we know we will have to continue developing the car, I think it will be a crucial step because I expect much smaller differences between the teams than in the past, and this it means that every single update can make a big difference”.
Do you have plans to complete the season with three power units?
“Well, that’s the plan, and I think that’s the way it is for everyone. Sure, if we look at the last two seasons I’m not sure many teams will make it, but this is the plan.”
Are you worried about budget cap issues?
“In general, there is concern about the idea that an infringement could be detected, because it would have an impact on a season after it has concluded. I believe that the control procedure should be faster, but we must bear in mind that 2022 was the first year for those who have to supervise the system, and honestly they did a great job because there are so many checks to be done. As in all activities, I believe that over time the system will be speeded up for everyone’s benefit”.
Can we say that the SF-21 is an evolution and not a revolution?
“I should first understand what evolution is and what revolution is. The concept of the car is the same, the regulation is the same. But we don’t have much room to move within the limits of the regulation, and this means that in the end we will have some kind of convergence of projects and performances. I expect the different philosophies we’ve seen on the track so far will eventually converge.”
Read also:
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari, Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Photo by: Ferrari
