JPBD1990 wrote: ↑11 Mar 2023, 16:11
Yes but is it enough for Leclerc to support Vasseur? The executive chairman and CEO against a team principal and driver?? An EC and CEO that have already displaced a team principal…
Ever since Vigna came on board I’ve had concerns. It’s Montezemolo 2006-onwards all over again. That got us to this point. Marchionne seemed sensible, though too involved in the F1 team, and unfortunately wasn’t around for long enough (RIP) and now history repeats.. again.
I really cannot comprehend the political dysfunction inside Ferrari. The road car division is firing on all cylinders. They’re making more money than ever. Wait lists years long for every vehicle… why do they need their hands in the F1 pie? Why not just throw money at it to install the best people and LEAVE THEM BE?
Unfortunately, what I feared in November (Binotto's resignation/fired) is happening now. I was told then that some people will leave after what happened with Binotto. Now the team is really breaking apart. When a team suddenly changes in so many important positions, it usually has far-reaching consequences that last for years.
What many fans and media don't understand is that F1 is about developing the best technologies and methodologies to design an F1 car. Innovation is the key, not only in the car features but even more in the techniques to develop a car at a faster rate. Even more important is pursuing the best values and the best organization which brings all the people to contribute on the project as a collective effort. This is exactly where Ferrari caught up under Binotto, but was still quite a bit behind Red Bull, who are currently the measure of all things here. Especially the point concerning the development of the car at a faster rate, Ferrari still had to catch up, which also explains why they often fall behind in the development during the season (but the interference in the development plans by the Ferrari bosses is the more serious disadvantage).
Knowing all this, it's easy to understand why stability and continuity are so important, and why in the last 40 years only teams where this was true have been world champions. You also understand why Binotto always tried to protect his people from the recurring mindless demands of the Italian fans and media (which are also a part of Ferrari's problem) and the demands, interference and actions of the Ferrari bosses. Vigna and Elkann have already intervened in setting the design parameters of the SF-23, forcing Binotto, Cardille, Sanchez and their team to change some things and parameters. This happens at Ferrari since Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne are no longer there (the first two years the team still benefited from their legacy) constantly and also before them. When a team has such a disadvantage, it is generally already difficult. But when there is a lack of stability and important people leave, it logically slows down many processes. Until that is "fixed" again and has settled in, you inevitably fall behind. All the other teams have understood this for many years, so no team actually follows this revolving door policy that Ferrari has followed for 15 years and those few who did also failed. 40 years of Formula 1 history prove that you can't be successful like that and Ferrari's history is the prime example. Vasseur is not stupid. In contrast to Elkann and Vigna he is a motorsport expert and engineer. Therefore the claims that he fired these people are surely wrong (if not he is the completely wrong one) i think. He can only watch the consequences of Elkann's and Vigna's actions destroy a team that was about to take the final step. Again...
What I don't understand is how you can go to Ferrari as a team principal (the same would apply to a technical director) without being contractually assured of full decision-making power and responsibility. Especially since Ferrari was in a predicament where they absolutely needed a successor to Binotto. He could have dictated his terms. As Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne did at the time, because since Schumacher wanted them at all costs, they could. Vasseur probably could have done the same, because no one but him wanted to sit in that hot seat. As is reported, he has not only failed to do so, but is even has less power than Binotto had, which in effect makes him a puppet of Vigna, who is simply supposed to implement what the latter tells him to do.
When you hear all this, it becomes clear that Ferrari is worse off than ever before. The team is literally falling apart, which will have consequences, and the new "management structure" not only makes it possible for Ferrari's real problems to be carried forward, no, they are now even the basis of this management structure. No wonder that so many people take their hat. Because at the moment it unfortunately looks like the last 15 titleless years were just the introduction for the worst phase in Ferrari's F1 history. Unfortunately, one can only hope that at least then finally in Italy mind and reason comes in, one takes a look at its own history and then finally understands it! Because it shows actually over clearly everything what is necessary. I'm sorry if this all sounds rather gloomy and hopeless. But finally, if one is realist, that is the picture that arises at the moment.
And it doesn't matter here whether Leclerc supports Vasseur or not. Vassueur has no power. In fact, the only hope is that Leclerc puts a gun to Elkann's and Vigna's heads and forces them to give Vasseur the necessary powers to give him and a yet to be appointed technical director full and sole technical and political control over the F1 team for 5 years. But I can't imagine that Leclerc did that, or that Elkann would follow his demand. Although I think he made it clear to Elkann that 2024 will be his last season at Ferrari if things continue like this and they don't race for the WDC very, very soon. The problem is that if there is sand in the gearbox you have to remove the sand. Cleaning the gearbox housing doesn't help. You have to remove the root of the problem. And that's not going to happen, i fear.
Maybe LEC just went to meet Elkann to reassure him that the concept of this car is so good and innovative—according to some—that there’s no need to worry.
