Ferrari, a name synonymous with Formula 1 greatness, has often been the centerpiece of motorsport narratives. With Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz delivering what many tout as their “best seasons ever,” the Scuderia seemed poised for a triumphant return to its glory days. Yet, as the dust settles on the season, one glaring truth remains: despite the fanfare, Ferrari is still playing second fiddle. The question is, why?
The Stats Don’t Lie
Looking purely at the numbers, it’s tempting to label the season a success. Leclerc achieved career-high podium finishes, and Sainz secured multiple race wins, including stunning performances under immense pressure. But a closer look reveals a troubling trend. Ferrari has now gone over 15 years without a driver or constructor’s championship. This drought doesn’t align with the standards of a team once regarded as the pinnacle of F1 dominance.
More worrying is the disparity between Ferrari’s pace in qualifying and race conditions. While the car’s one-lap speed often allowed Leclerc and Sainz to start near the front, a combination of poor race strategy, tire degradation, and questionable pit stops saw them routinely lose ground on Sundays. Critics have aptly dubbed Ferrari the “nearly team” of the grid—a car that promises much but delivers far less when it matters.
A Dysfunctional Marriage Between Drivers and Strategy
One of Ferrari’s biggest problems this season was the constant misalignment between driver execution and team strategy. Leclerc, often praised for his qualifying prowess, fell victim to strategic blunders multiple times. Take, for instance, the infamous Monaco Grand Prix pit stop debacle, where Ferrari managed to squander his pole position through a baffling double-stack strategy that even amateur fans could see was doomed to fail.
Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, has been vocal about his frustrations with the team’s decisions, even publicly overruling his race engineers on occasion. While this assertiveness won him fans, it also exposed a deeper issue within Ferrari: a lack of trust between the pit wall and the drivers. For a team aiming for championship contention, such public displays of discord are not only embarrassing but indicative of systemic dysfunction.
A History of Near Misses
To truly understand Ferrari’s current predicament, one must consider the team’s history. Since the golden era of Michael Schumacher, the Scuderia has struggled to adapt to the changing dynamics of Formula 1. The turbo-hybrid era has been particularly cruel to Ferrari, with Mercedes and Red Bull dominating the sport.
While Ferrari has had flashes of brilliance—such as Sebastian Vettel’s strong title challenges in 2017 and 2018—these have always been undermined by inconsistency and a lack of innovation. This season was no different. Ferrari’s development curve seemed to plateau mid-season, allowing Red Bull and even Mercedes to overtake them in race performance.
Are Leclerc and Sainz Truly Elite?
Another controversial question arises: are Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz truly the drivers to bring Ferrari back to championship glory? Leclerc, often hailed as a generational talent, has shown flashes of brilliance but continues to struggle with unforced errors. His crash during the French Grand Prix last year is a stark reminder of his occasional lack of composure under pressure.
Sainz, while incredibly consistent, lacks the raw speed and aggression of drivers like Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton. While his race craft is commendable, it’s hard to imagine him mounting a sustained title challenge unless Ferrari provides a car significantly better than the rest of the grid—a scenario that seems increasingly unlikely.
The Red Bull Juggernaut
Ferrari’s struggles are magnified when compared to the relentless dominance of Red Bull. Max Verstappen has single-handedly redefined what it means to dominate a season, with Red Bull’s engineers producing a car that seems almost immune to flaws.
Ferrari fans will argue that Red Bull’s success comes from operating in a gray area of the regulations, but the reality is simpler: Red Bull is just better at executing its vision. From Christian Horner’s leadership to Adrian Newey’s unmatched design expertise, Red Bull has built an empire Ferrari can only dream of rivaling.
A Marketing Machine, Not a Winning Team
Some critics argue that Ferrari has become more focused on its brand than its performance. As the most iconic team in Formula 1, Ferrari enjoys unparalleled gl
obal fan support and lucrative sponsorship deal