Miami served up yet one more bitter capsule for Ferrari followers, who as soon as once more needed to abdomen a lacklustre efficiency dressed up with post-race feedback from Frederic Vasseur that hardly mirrored actuality. “The chef,” because the Ferrari devoted have dubbed him, appears decided to maintain serving poorly ready dishes whereas persevering with to current them as connoisseur delicacies. However style—in contrast to phrases—is sincere, and the target fact from the observe doesn’t lie.
Driver administration at Ferrari: the standard mess, adequate for Fred Vasseur
The Staff Principal claimed the workforce’s dealing with of its drivers was “good.” But Lewis Hamilton remained caught behind Charles Leclerc for a number of laps after the pit cease, dropping round 1.5 seconds to Andrea Kimi Antonelli throughout an important part of the race when his medium tyres have been at their finest. The swap ought to have occurred instantly—or higher but, been a part of the race technique from the beginning. The delayed name damage each drivers’ tempo and instantly affected their competitiveness within the ultimate phases.
Even Lewis Hamilton himself, each over workforce radio and later with a cooler head, identified the flawed execution. Charles Leclerc, for his half, averted talking a lot over the radio to stop his frustration from being broadcast reside. A lot for “every thing was excellent”—this was extra like groping at midnight whereas the stopwatch informed a really completely different story.
The automotive? SF-25, a damaged promise
Based on Fred Vasseur, Ferrari’s race tempo was according to Mercedes and Crimson Bull. However actuality paints one other image: greater than 57 seconds behind the winner and over 20 seconds adrift of the highest Mercedes and Crimson Bull. For about ten laps, the SF-25 seemed respectable. However the remainder of the race rapidly dispelled that phantasm. You may’t decide a 57-lap race based mostly on one brief stint—particularly not within the closing laps, when others are managing tyres and gas.
In the meantime, Charles Leclerc continues to state that he’s extracting every thing he can from the automotive, and that with out actual updates, there’s no manner ahead. “We’re getting essentially the most out of it,” he retains repeating—a sentiment in stark distinction with the phrases of Ferrari’s workforce principal, who insists on downplaying the problem and speaking about some legendary “untapped potential.”
When advertising and marketing drives the narrative
At this level, what we’re witnessing seems much less like a failed technical plan and extra like a rigorously crafted communications technique, the place picture issues greater than outcomes. Nobody dares admit that the challenge has failed—sponsors have to be reassured, and the subsequent spherical of merchandise should nonetheless be bought to loyal followers who all the time assist the purple automobiles.
However true Ferrari followers, who keep on with the workforce even in laborious occasions, deserve honesty—not statements that don’t have any hyperlink to the information. The parable that Ferrari is near being the second-best workforce should finish. Persevering with to promote hopes which can be repeatedly shattered by details not solely fails to ship outcomes—it drives away supporters who have been misled by daring predictions and triumphant declarations made at the beginning of the season, when the outcomes have been nonetheless zero.
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