Sky Sports pundit suggests unique Ferrari 'career' problem

Ferrari-teambaas Frederic Vasseur — Photo: © LAT Images

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Sky Sports pundit suggests unique Ferrari 'career' problem

Ferrari's strategy choices have been put under the microscope in recent seasons

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 31 December 2023 18:57

Sky Sports F1 pundit and former Formula 1 strategy engineer Bernie Collins has highlighted a unique issue that may be hampering Ferrari.

She believes that strategists at the Maranello-based outfit may be afraid of 'rocking the boat', and would rather keep quiet in order to protect what is a job for life with the most iconic F1 team.

Ferrari have come under fire in recent times over their handling of certain decisions during races, with strategy failings hampering both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in 2022 and 2023.

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Mattia Binotto lost his job as Ferrari team principal at the end of 2022, partly due to strategy errors throughout that season. While Fred Vasseur has taken over and looked to take the team in a different direction, errors have still crept in.

Mattia Binotto was dismissed from his position at Ferrari at the end of 2022

Fred Vasseur had an up and down first season in charge at Ferrari

Carlos Sainz was the only man to beat Red Bull in a main race in 2023

Ferrari underperforming

Ferrari only managed to finish third in the constructors' championship in 2023, and Collins believes that their underperformance in terms of strategy may go deeper than just the team principal.

"Moving to Ferrari, people see that as a lifetime career," she told the Off The Ball podcast.

"You know, you're in Ferrari, that's where you're gonna, as engineers as strategists, that's the pinnacle of where some people want to be and they want to stay there.

"So there's a lot of not rocking the boat, I think and not saying 'oh, I disagree with X, Y or Z's decision' and you need that in F1, you need the lowest powered strategists to be fit to say 'Oi, have you thought about whatever', and it feels like people aren't using their voice enough to speak up.

"But I've never worked there, so I don't know. It's all guess work."

Ferrari Formula 1 Charles Leclerc Carlos Sainz Fred Vasseur Maranello