Ferrari lacks a guide

It seems like a few days have passed since September 2022, a period in which a potential title-winning Ferrari – at the start of the season – was lost usual, chronic, technical sports crisis of results. Today, as yesterday, we are at the beginning and compared to a distant Ferrari in the general classification, two aspects remain clear: the management problems of the Prancing Horse in the absence of a strong and credible leader and the media narrative that leads to it With his humor that is sometimes boring and is sometimes annoying, it doesn’t help the public understand the Reds’ situation.

If we had fallen asleep a year ago and woke up today, we would not notice that time has passed. Sainz’s recent win in Singapore was canceled out by Max Verstappen’s dominance at Suzuka, the classic, legendary Japanese circuit. A championship that is worse in terms of sport than last year, but in 2023 The #Fans with the hashtag before it went from arsonists to thinkersthe press is much more permissive towards the Scuderia and, as always, the owner doesn’t budge (and above all criticizes).

However, the problems depend precisely on the usual prancing horse situation: a gigantic corporate pyramid with the detached tipalmost alien to the race track, Formula 1 and racing, but with different priorities.

John Elkann makes his propaganda, suffers from sometimes tasteless announcements and often only says circumstantial evidence: “We have a team that is going in one direction“(…), “The car gets better with every race“, “The pilots’ mood is good“. The signature of its management – ​​Ferrari, but generally Stellantis – is essentially this: not only be detached from the trail, but also from mere mortalswhile deciding from top to bottom the industrial policy of the brands it represents.

After all, according to “Brand Finance Global”, Ferrari is one of the “most powerful” and influential brands in the world, and that’s exactly what those responsible are interested in these days. The cars that drive on the track are little more than Entertainment games for children and adults, the money is made elsewhere and the fans’ mood is created and destroyed in the laboratory. While there are still many motorsport enthusiasts, they are turning their attention to the WEC and endurance or GT racing.

The CEO acts as an opponent for Elkann. Vigna, especially when it comes to the paddock, ephemeral and also not very convincing in terms of theories and values ​​​​about sports cars in general. «Ferrari’s goal is to achieve carbon neutrality by the end of the decade», he explained to the ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers Association). So far everything is legitimate, apart from the complexity and the lack of rational answers and concrete strategies how to achieve such an ambitious goal in such a short time. The CEO also spoke on another front: The European Union is pushing to make the new Euro 7 emissions standard mandatory as early as 2025, and he did not shy away from highlighting the critical points of this directive:

“Continuing Euro 7 as currently planned would divert the attention of our team and our suppliers. Our suggestion is to go fasterelectrification. We don’t have time for distractions.”

Full throttle so on electric. What neither excites the market for electric sports cars, which does not exist, nor the enthusiasts, the group of Ferrari fans, the consumers of gadgets who want nothing to do with electrification. Who knows maybe With #essereFerrari you too will be convinced.

Like last year, so this year too one perceives an aura of untouchability among the leaders politely respected by the general media, which always allows itself to analyze problems to a certain level. And considering that Vasseur replaced Binotto only ten months ago, it’s also hard to criticize the team boss, he’s working and we rightly (God forbid) have to give him time. They don’t dare to move further up the organizational chart.

So since you have to talk and write about something, you invent Ferrari questions that are more than secondary: about Sainz (very good), who wins a race and becomes a stronger driver than Leclerc, a bit risky and fan-like, entirely not to mention superficial as an analysis, right down to the FIA ​​TD18 technical guideline sinking Red Bull (that was really good), or track topics addressed with Netflix-like sentimentality. Nothing unpleasantjournalistic and sporty.

In reality, as the always clear and competent Mario Donnini writes, “The victory (by Sainz in Singapore, editor’s note) counts for nothing at all from the perspective of the championship. Also because it is of particular interest to Vasseur, Vasseur’s aunt and Rossa’s accountant, whether Ferrari ends up second or second in the constructors’ championship and thus makes more money. But The rest doesn’t matter to anyone». It still is:

“The thing that moves is different.” Enzo Ferrari He would immediately give us a memorable press conference,” adds Donnini.

«In a calm, flamboyant tone, with skilful and theatrical pauses and recapitulations. With the most magnificent silence of high notes to say and repeat to the world a simple but unique little thing: thanks to the success of Singapore Ferrari is now the only manufacturer on planet Earth to win Formula 1 in three and a half months Le Mansso in Wec, and in 24 Hours Nürburgringthe most glorious and important marathon among GTs».

However, the inability of Drake’s newest successor and the icy members of Ferrari’s senior leadership to convey passion remains a problem that is far from resolved. And that has a direct impact on the company organization, the management of the Scuderia and ultimately on the results. And little by little the time has come scare the dream of the dancing horse. As Stefano Olivari wrote this summer Indiscreet: «Is John Elkann to blame for the failure of this Ferrari? We don’t have an answer, but it’s strange that the question doesn’t even exist».

Support independent journalism, without compromise and without bosses. We need you to continue to stay a free voice and from the chorus. Thank you very much.