“It is not possible,” Former driver warns Ferrari against poaching Adrian Newey in desperation to fix their underperforming cars
Ferrari has endured a mediocre start to the season, with their car being substandard in comparison to the frontrunners
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Adrian Newey via F1 Maximaal
Jean Alesi, the former Ferrari driver, has cautioned the team against seeking to fix their engineering issues by poaching Adrian Newey from Red Bull. Newey is currently Red Bull’s chief technology officer and is responsible for the dominant RB 18 from 2022, as well as the proficient RB19 this year.
With speculation of the Scuderia perhaps seeking a quick fix, rumors of the team looking to poach Newey have risen. However, Alesi has dismissed any chance of the team enjoying success if they try to do so. Speaking to Les Fous du Volant on Eurosport in France, he stated, “It will take time. That is no longer possible in Formula 1[a 90s-style recruitment drive repeating itself]. Today, if Adrian Newey decided to go to Ferrari, we wouldn’t see his car until 2025 because of the clauses in all the contracts.”
The Frenchman believes the days of hiring proficient engineers behind the scenes, as we witnessed with Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne have faded into the past, and the sport operates differently now. He reiterated that the impact of Newey, should he be recruited immediately, would not be felt for years.
Alesi went on to emphasise that Frederic Vasseur, newly appointed replacement to Mattia Binotto as team principal for Ferrari, is the right person for the job in taking Ferrari forward and has their best interests in mind for the coming future. He stated that it would take time, but it is an investment that will show its profit in the coming years.
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Ferrari’s current developmental issues require a long-term solution
The team from Maranello has struggled with its car design since 2020 and has failed to mount a successful challenge to win the title. They have been consistently outperformed by Mercedes and Red Bull, and now look to be behind Aston Martin. Since their “private settlement” in 2019 with the FIA regarding their car, things have only gone downhill.
Ferrari was never considered a main contender for the title in 2021, with the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull matching each other blow for blow at the top. The team was dissatisfied with their mediocre performances, and placed special focus on their development of the 2022 car, with team principal Binotto frequently missing race weekends to put in time at the factory.
The car for Ferrari seemed promising at the opening stages, with the team besting Red Bull and finishing 1-2 in the opening race in Bahrain. Their reliability seemed good, and their pace was on par with, if not exceeding, their rivals Red Bull. However, they failed to keep It consistent and were dominated for the rest of the season. They made several strategic errors, along with enduring reliability issues. They ended up finishing closer to 3rd than 1st, which is a pity for a team that seemed the favorite to win the title at the start.
2023 has shown no remorse for the team, as their struggles have been amplified. They have endured their worst-ever start to a season since 2010. They have failed to secure a podium, and are visibly slower than the likes of Red Bull, Aston Martin, and Mercedes. This almost seems like an insurmountable gap to close, given the performances we’ve witnessed. The team encountered an engine failure in Bahrain, causing concerns over future reliability.
The only plausible solution at the moment looks to be bringing an expert like Adrian Newey on board. He has excelled with the likes of McLaren and Williams and has shown he is world-class with his design of the recent cars at Red Bull. Such a brilliant engineer could be the revitalization of the Scuderia and could have a brilliant impact in the long run. Short-term, his impact may not be felt, but given the time, backing, and right resources, Adrian Newey could bring the team back to the top, where they have aspired to be for many years.
Ferrari stands 4th in the constructors’ standings, 30 points behind the likes of Mercedes. They have accumulated a meager 26 points in 3 races. Given this adversity, their thought process in looking for a solution that would be a quick rectification, like hiring the likes of Adrian Newey, seems justified. His impact may not be felt until 2025, but it is an investment that will pay dividends in the future.
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Justin P Joy
(4928 Articles Published)