15/02/2023
NEWS STORY
While Ferrari admits that reliability was the team's Achilles Heel in 2022, it is also aware that it needs to up its game in terms of strategy.
Of the nine official retirements the Maranello outfit suffered last year, two were down to accidents, two due to spinning off, three engine failures, one hydraulics issue and one down to accident damage.
However, the other factor compromising the team was poor strategy, a common fault with the Scuderia over the years.
While fans and the media were calling for action, most notably after the Silverstone and Hungary debacles, where the team went completely the wrong way on tyres, Mattia Binotto insisted that there was no need for a knee-jerk reaction, though it was the Italian who ultimately paid the price.
Speaking at today's launch, Frederic Vasseur admitted that lessons have been learned and will be taken on board.
"We will make some small adjustments," he said.
However, he was keen to make clear that this doesn't mean wholesale hiring and firing, or a complete overhaul of the current strategic team.
"What I said last time is that you see just the visible part of the iceberg," he explained. "When you spoke about strategy, you were speaking about strategist and strategy.
"But it's not just one person pushing on a button, it's software, it's the team at the factory, and it's also process on the pit wall. It's a complete picture rather than about one person."
Racing director, Laurent Mekies confirmed that there has been a "very, very extensive review of 2022" with the team looking at "where we have been lacking, because there is no need to hide.
"We have learned some of the things last year in the hard way," he continued, "so of course we had this 360 degree review.
"What it means for us is that we are concentrating on giving our people the best platform to express themselves.
"We have been reviewing our processes, we have been reviewing the way we are working, in order to ensure each individual can express themselves at their best individually and of course collectively."
Charles and Carlos will certainly hope so.
Check out our SF-23 gallery, here.