2008 was the last time Ferrari won the Formula 1 constructors’ championship. For a team that has been the most successful in the sport, the continued dry run has to hurt. Former McLaren engineer Marc Priestley revealed the bizarre reason behind their lack of success and how they can overcome it.

It looked like 2022 would mark the season when Ferrari will finally make their much-awaited comeback. The team started strongly as the new car regulations rolled out. Charles Leclerc won 2 out of the first 3 races. At one point in the season, the Monegasque had a 46-point lead over the eventual champion Max Verstappen. However, as the season progressed, the Prancing Horse once again ran out of steam.

The reason why Ferrari has fallen down the pecking order

Ferrari, despite its years of failure, Ferrari still commands a lot of respect among Formula 1 fans. The team has always been associated with champion drivers. Even now, they have incredible drivers like Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Then what is it that’s holding them back? Marc Priestley recently revealed on the podcast In the Fast Lane: F1 and MotoGP.

Priestley attributed Ferrari’s lack of success to the immense pressure they are under owing to their immense popularity at home in Italy. “I hate to pin this on being too Italian, it’s the wrong way to say it. But if you see the last period of Ferrari dominance, the team was run by Europeans that weren’t Italians.” Priestley continued, “they are an Italian team. They’re almost a national team. The pressure as an Italian from the inside that organization, from media, the fans must be extraordinary.”

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The former McLaren employee told how fearful the environment at Ferrari is. He explained how there is a lack of confidence in the camp as they point any failed decision toward the individual. Marc compared it to how different the environment at Red Bull and Mercedes is.

Marc Priestley on why Mercedes and Red Bull are successful

In contrast with how things work at Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull have an open environment. Priestley revealed how the management backs its employees when they make risky decisions.

Marc said, “this is a great place that Mercedes and Red Bull have got themselves into where everyone in that organization is trusted to do their job. And if that means that sometimes they make a decision, on the spot, that could be a bit risky, the management trust them to make that decision. And that’s really important.”

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Ferrari showcased some serious pace in the first half of the season. However, they have fallen prey to some faulty race and tire strategies. The current season is almost over. The Tifosi can only hope to see their team on top next season, but it will not be easy as Mercedes too are on their path to redemption.