Formula 1 racing team Ferrari certainly hoped for more from the season so far than fourth place in the drivers’ standings. A long-time employee has now clearly highlighted the Scuderia’s problems.
Former racing driver Marc Gené knows Ferrari like no other. He has been active with the Italians in various roles since 2004, first as a test driver for 14 years, and now he works as an ambassador for the team. One thing is clear for the former Formula 1 driver (Minardi and Williams), Ferrari has seen better days.
“2022 was very good, with twelve pole positions and a very fast car, but we lacked stability and made some strategic mistakes. The start to 2023 is proving difficult,” the Spaniard summed up in an interview with sport.es.
Gené, however, has not yet lost faith that the SF-23 is an improvement on last year.
“I honestly still think that the car has a lot of potential and that we are more reliable. From a strategic point of view, we present ourselves well. However, we could not show our full potential. To be on the podium, we have to do everything right,” the 49-year-old highlighted.
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Hamilton “does not fit the philosophy” of Ferrari
The problem: “The car is difficult to drive and that has led to some mistakes by the drivers.” But for the Spanish Grand Prix, he said, his team is bringing “important improvements. These should herald a “turning point”.
When asked about the current driver combination of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, Gené was satisfied: “They have a good relationship with each other, even though they are obviously rivals on the track. Off the track they have a lot in common and they have a good time together, but it’s logical that each of them wants to win.”
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Meanwhile, recent speculation that one of the two drivers will be replaced by Lewis Hamilton in the future has surprised the Ferrari insider from a sporting perspective alone.
“I’m not the one who decides about the drivers, but knowing the Scuderia now, he doesn’t fit into the philosophy and I see him finishing his career at Mercedes,” the ex-driver judged.
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