‘Strategy Didn’t Make Any Sense’: Frederic Vasseur Gets Stern Reality Check From Ex-Ferrari Insider for 2024 Revamp

It won’t be a stretch to say that in Formula 1, getting your strategy right is as crucial as getting your cars or drivers right. However, the 2023 season saw the iconic Scuderia Ferrari grappling with strategic missteps yet again, leading to a reality check for Team Principal Frederic Vasseur. In a recent interview with Motorsport․com Nederland, former Ferrari insider Kees van de Grint stepped into the spotlight, offering insights into Ferrari’s challenges and the crucial changes needed for the upcoming 2024 revamp.

Ferrari had a great start to the regulations in 2022, but the season ended in disappointment. Mattia Binotto resigned in December, making way for Vasseur as the new team principal. After taking over, Vasseur initially cautioned against knee-jerk reactions and urged a thorough review of the 2022 season. He emphasized the need to address underlying factors rather than placing blame on individuals. Ferrari’s racing director, Laurent Mekies, echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the team’s shortcomings.

Frederic Vasseur needs to work on improving mid-race strategy calls at Ferrari

This introspection led to significant changes in Ferrari’s race strategy organization, involving the relocation of Inaki Rueda, the former head of strategy, to a factory role. The restructuring, orchestrated by Frederic Vasseur and part of a plan set in motion by his predecessor Binotto, aimed to enhance Ferrari’s competitiveness for the 2023 season. Ravin Jain, an experienced race strategy engineer at Scuderia, took over the role left by Rueda.

However, as the season unfolded, the anticipated improvements were elusive. Despite being hopelessly outgunned by Red Bull and Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc managed to secure five pole positions. He couldn’t convert any of those poles into race victories, though, with some of those races marred by questionable strategy calls. The relocation of Rueda and the reshuffling of key roles within the team did not fully address the strategic woes that persisted.

Enter Kees van de Grint, an ex-Ferrari insider, who provided a candid evaluation of Frederic Vasseur’s leadership during the 2023 season. When questioned about the possibility of the French team principal leaving if he can’t deliver a championship, van de Grint stated, “No, I don’t think that Binotto would have packed up because of that. I think Vasseur has done a little better management.”

“But I think – and maybe he’s going to change that now – Ferrari still has a problem,” he added. “To look at the car, some races were better than the Red Bull, some also much less than the Red Bull. But over the whole year, of course, it was the strategy that didn’t look like anything, and they also lost a lot of points with wrong choices. So I think if I were in his shoes, I would work on that first, and strategic teamwork, of course. You’ve also seen incidents where there were wrong tires again and everything.”

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As Ferrari reflects on the challenges of 2023, eyes turn towards the future with the anticipation of the 2024 season. Can the Scuderia turn things around and challenge Red Bull? Frederic Vasseur thinks they can with their all-new challenger.

Ferrari’s 2024 challenger will be 95% new, says Vasseur

The unveiling of the 2024 car is set for February 13, a day earlier than its 2023 predecessor. Addressing the curiosity surrounding the new car, Vasseur emphasized the team’s pursuit of mere tenths of a second, crucial for gaining a competitive edge. He acknowledged the necessity of a significant step forward and expressed optimism about Ferrari’s trajectory.

Responding to queries about whether the 2024 car would represent a revolutionary design, Vasseur commented, as quoted by The Race, “We are changing 95% of the components of the car. Perhaps you can consider that it’s a revolution. I don’t know if it will be.” The team principal highlighted the ongoing development process and the importance of assessing progress in the competitive environment, hinting that the true test would unfold in Bahrain.

Do you think the 2024 season will see improvements in Ferrari’s strategy calls? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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