Fearing Christian Horner’s Baku Prediction, Ferrari Holds Back Its Ammunition To Level Up Their Fight Against Red Bull

Frederic Vasseur’s arrival hasn’t been smooth as the Prancing Horse’s 2023 season has had a terrible start. The Italian team, which aimed to challenge Max Verstappen and Co for the championship, has only been fourth on the grid. The three-week break from racing, as a result of the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix, gave them time to reconsider their strategies and improve their cars. However, Christian Horner cautioned that neither of them would have an easy ride to Azerbaijan, and following his Baku Prediction, Ferrari has decided to keep its armaments hidden.

The sprint race will have its own abbreviated version that will take place on Saturday as a result of the anticipated modifications to the sprint race format that F1 and the FIA will announce tomorrow. Ferrari, which will be determined to recover some significant points in Azerbaijan after a disastrous start, has warily listened to Christian Horner’s prediction. Horner thinks it’s a bad idea to hold a sprint race in Baku because the confined turns will make the event’s evening atmosphere chaotic.

However, given the current circumstances, Ferrari has looked to the future and is confident that they have identified the best line of development that will fully utilize SF-23. Nevertheless, the Maranello-based outfit has chosen to restrict improvements as per motorsport.com for Baku in light of the format changes and Horner’s estimate. The initial modification to the bellies, with a more excavated area in the lower part, won’t occur until Miami, merely bringing forth a redesign of the beam wing.

Even though the racing department’s response during the month of the stoppage was quite concrete and beneficial, in the end, logic triumphed out over the desire to take risks. One thing is certain, Ferrari won’t use tactical or strategic thinking to influence the outcome of the race. Instead, it will attempt to get the SF-23 to perform at its best during the two qualifying sessions.

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While it’s true that Ferrari has supposedly found the sweet spot for development and is ready for the forthcoming races, we can’t discount Red Bull’s incredible speed or the development of Aston Martin and Mercedes. The entire grid has had some restless nights as a result of Verstappen’s and Checo’s RB19’s lightning-fast performance. Vasseur, however, has stepped up and has given his boys a little optimism.

Following a horrific start to the season, Frederic Vasseur gives Ferrari lads some words of wisdom

Ferrari’s 2023 season got off to a horrific start as the squad, which was already having trouble finding its pace, later encountered issues with reliability. However, as the squad enters the fourth round of the most recent campaign, Frederic Vasseur has given his boys some very prudent advice.

The 54-year-old encouraged the team to focus on its strengths rather than the opponents’ tempo. As per MSN, Vasseur said, “To be focused on Red Bull or Mercedes or Aston Martin, I think it would be a mistake. We have to get the best from what we are doing, and to be focused on ourselves. But we made a good step for me between race two and race three.”

He added, “Baku will be crucial because in Baku you have the two qualifyings and the two races and we have to be able as a team to do a better job and to attract the best potential of the car. But most important is to get the best from what we are doing, and to be focused on ourselves not on the others.”

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In light of the aforementioned, do you think Ferrari’s fortunes will change at the Azerbaijan GP?