Monaco Grand Prix: Ferrari’s Setbacks and Strategic Missteps — What Lies Ahead for the Prancing Horse?
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We were all eagerly anticipating Ferrari’s new front suspension for the SF23 at the upcoming GP in Barcelona, and the added thrill of both our drivers home races happening consecutively elevated the level of expectation. However, after Fred Vasseur’s press conference in Monaco, it seems that this component, or at least the full package of changes we were expecting, might not be unveiled all at once for the next race. So, what’s the plan for Ferrari moving forward?
Despite expressing their hopes for a pole position and even a potential race victory, the team had to settle for a bittersweet P6 for Leclerc and P8 for Sainz. This outcome left everyone, from the passionate tifosi to the drivers themselves, with mixed emotions. Both drivers admitted that they haven’t quite found the optimal connection with the car.
Leclerc expressed his disappointment during the post-race press conference, stating, “We are still too far away” The reality is that Mercedes and even Alpine showcased better race pace and strategic decisions than the Ferrari cars. Clearly, there is significant room for improvement that needs to be urgently addressed in order to make up ground in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.
Sainz’s team, on the other hand, made some controversial strategic choices. He opted for an early pit stop, which prevented him from overtaking Ocon. Moreover, a delayed second pit stop to switch from hard to medium tires, combined with the rain that brought some drama to the race, forced a third pit stop for intermediates. The team made the call one lap later than most of the other drivers, resulting in Sainz losing control of the car during the chaotic rain conditions. Additionally, a double-stack pit stop after Leclerc’s led to losing positions to Gasly (P7) as well.
This race exposed some recurring flaws in Ferrari’s strategic decision-making. They failed to effectively manage the pit timings for both drivers, a weakness that Mercedes skillfully exploited with Russell (P5) and Hamilton (P4) finishing ahead of the Ferrari duo.
“We’re going to get there” remarked a confident Toto Wolff, suggesting that Mercedes is on the right track after implementing six significant changes (front suspension, floor fences, side pods, side pod inlets and bodywork, rear wing, and rear brake winglets) in Monaco. However, he acknowledged the need to gather data and closely monitor the developments in Spain this week.
It appears that the Maranello team has chosen a different approach, opting for incremental changes rather than a major overhaul in a single race. Could this mark the beginning of the Vasseur era? Is Ferrari already shifting their focus to 2024? Meanwhile, the Reds are making moves to strengthen their team, apparently attempting to recruit two key engineers from Red Bull, following Laurent Mekies’ announcement to succeed Franz Tost at Alpha Tauri.
For now, we will have to await what Ferrari has in store for the rest of the season.
