Ferrari F1, how did it lose 99 points in one year – Corriere.it

Encirclement Syndrome. Don’t look up (Red Bull), rather look inward and behind you. From the reborn Mercedes, from Aston Martin, and more. Having failed the high school exam, Ferrari’s balance sheet is in deep red: last year, after 7 races, it had double the points (199 against 100) and had won two. Only one podium today, by Leclerc in Baku.

In reality, there had also been pain twelve months ago in Spain, the engine had failed Leclerc while he was in the lead. Other times. Now the problems are bigger and concern the lack of performance in the race. “We have a thousand people focused on figuring out why we’re so fickle,” said Fred Vasseur. He is convinced that there is potential in SF-23 to be mined. But like certain oil fields in remote areas, one has to wonder whether the search makes sense. But stopping doing it now, with 15 GPs to go, could have very serious consequences in the championship, with the risk of finishing him as fourth or fifth force.

The F1 summer tour, on well-known circuits, will provide answers on Ferrari’s ability to react. And on the level of others. The evolved Mercedes scares more than Aston Martin: it is used to winning, Hamilton (close to renewal) and Russell are one of the best couples in F1.

On the contrary, Aston can pay for their inexperience and dependence on Alonso, Stroll jr’s contribution was minimal. Although far away in the standings, Alpine has shown that it can be a nuisance (in Montecarlo), and on Sunday in Barcelona Gasly blocked Leclerc’s comeback. It’s a delicate moment for Charles, the team is by his side. Vasseur understood the difficulties, phrases like «If he said there’s a fault, I believe him, I trust him» go in this direction. Fred talks a lot, and the top management little, who are waiting for the return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which starts on Saturday. Yesterday CEO Benedetto Vigna interviewed by Tommaso Ebhardt al Bloomberg Capital Market Forum he used a Japanese proverb («Nana korobi ya oki», «Fall seven times and get up eight»): «It applies to life, it also applies to F1. It’s not easy, sometimes you slip four floors and you don’t see the end. But with work, with passion, with skills, and with the heart, in the end you recover. I’ve been there many times.” The problem now is to arrest the fall.