Fred Vasseur, the team principal of Ferrari, is positioned in the paddock.
Bidding farewell to technical director Enrico Cardile, rumours say to make room for Adrian Newey, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur is in a “UK” recruitment drive and it is partly thanks to Lewis Hamilton.
As we approach almost two decades since Ferrari’s last championship title, the Scuderia has experienced inconsistent performance in Formula 1’s ground-effect aerodynamic era.
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur is chasing ‘UK’ designers
In 2022, Red Bull faced no significant competition as they were way ahead of their challengers, but unfortunately, they failed to secure the title before the summer break. However, in 2023, it is safe to say that Red Bull was the only team that truly mattered, leaving no room for any other contenders.
This season, led by team boss Vasseur with Cardile as the team’s technical director, Ferrari seemed to have closed the gap only to drop the ball with their Spanish Grand Prix upgrades.
However, not being able to keep up with Red Bull was the least of their concerns, as the Scuderia has also fallen behind McLaren and, more recently, Mercedes in terms of performance on the track.
If Ferrari had not won two races earlier in the season, they would be in fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, as they have scored the fewest points among the four teams since Charles Leclerc’s Monaco GP victory.
Vasseur has notably been actively seeking external assistance for the development of Ferrari.
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Vasseur, the latest team boss for Ferrari, breaks the tradition of Italian leadership within the team, which was once criticized by Niki Lauda for its “spaghetti culture.” Prior to Vasseur, the only non-Italian team boss was Jean Todt, who was part of the renowned Ferrari “Dream Team” along with Michael Schumacher, Ross Brawn, and Rory Byrne.
Under Vasseur’s leadership Ferrari have said farewell to key Italian figures in Cardile, who is off to Aston Martin, and also Simone Resta and Enrico Sampo.
According to formu1a.uno, there has been a noticeable shift in the leadership style of former team boss Mattia Binotto. He is now prioritizing individuals who have grown up in Maranello, as well as young talents brought into the Ferrari team.
However, there is still a possibility that Ferrari could hire the highly regarded F1 designer, Adrian Newey.
There have been strong connections between the Englishman and Ferrari, to the extent that there is talk of a preliminary agreement following a clandestine encounter between the Englishman and a Ferrari representative at an airport.
However, Vasseur has remained silent about the possibility of hiring the designer who has won 25 championships.
At least he was until a recent interview with the Financial Times where he gave the biggest clue yet as he admitted he is chasing “UK” designers.
The Frenchman expressed, “At Ferrari, we have a talented team, but I intend to strengthen it. A majority of F1 technicians can be found in the UK. If one were to transition from Mercedes in Brackley to Red Bull in Milton Keynes, they would be able to maintain stability for their children with the same school and house. The transition can be made seamlessly from Friday to Monday.”
“When you come to Italy, everything changes. It’s not just about moving the whole family, it’s a complete shift in lifestyle. Lewis’s relocation will greatly assist us in this transition.”
However, Newey doesn’t have to worry about disrupting his children’s education since they are all no longer in school. Although it has been suggested, without confirmation, that his wife Amanda is interested in relocating to Italy.
Next season, Hamilton will be making his debut with Ferrari, and according to Vasseur, this signing of the seven-time World Champion serves as a demonstration to both the world and UK designers about Ferrari’s unwavering determination to secure a World title.
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