Former Formula 1 driver Marc Surer asserts that given Ferrari’s current situation, some of the employees are ‘working in fear’ at the moment.
The Maranello outfit is far from reaching the ambitious targets they had set for themselves before the season even began. This comes despite Charles Leclerc’s three podium finishes so far this season.
For the rest of the season, Ferrari are stuck in a tight race to be considered “best of the rest” behind Red Bull as their powerful RB19 is still a notch higher above the rest of the field this season.
The Scuderia started the new age of Formula 1 in 2022 with a car that was at least on level with Red Bull, if not quicker, but since then, they have steadily fallen back in the standings and are sitting fourth in this year’s Constructors’ Championship currently as the sport takes its summer break.
Although Surer said the SF-23 is likely to be more “balanced” than its predecessor, it has cost money, and certain Maranello staff, according to Surer, are under pressure as a result of the lacklusture performance falling below expectations.
“The car is slower than before and there are no bright spots either,” Surer told Formel1.de. “Now they’ve managed to be nowhere fast.
“They have probably made the car more balanced now, but lost the speed a bit in the process.
“The people who are there, who built the super car last year, can’t manage it now, that surprises me a bit.
“I only know from insider circles, from people who were at Ferrari, who say: the people there all work with fear.”
Surer stated that he thought Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur was the best choice to run the team, but the Scuderia has a recruitment issue because nobody truly wants to move to Italy.
“Why should someone who has a family move to Italy now?” he asked. “The motivation must be very, very great.”
Ferrari is going through a transitional phase behind the scenes after sporting director Laurent Mekies left to take over as team principal at AlphaTauri for the upcoming season and as one of the team’s most senior engineers, David Sanchez, who was their head of vehicle concept, left on the eve of the 2023 season.
