“The motivation is still there,” Fred Vasseur adamantly reaffirms Ferrari drivers’ commitment amid dismal 2023 start

Ferrari has endured a mediocre start to the new season, with both drivers falling victim to undesirable circumstances

Frederic Vasseur

Scuderia Ferrari’s start to the 2023 Formula One season has been lackluster, courtesy of their poor performances in all 3 races. The drivers have suffered misfortune and adversity, having failed to register a podium finish thus far, with a victory out of the question. This is a serious blow to a team who aspires to contend for the title and bounce back from last season’s disappointment.

Their development has not met expectations, and they are currently the 4^th fastest team on the grid, behind the likes of Mercedes, Red Bull, and Aston Martin. Charles Leclerc has finished only 2 of the 3 races, while Carlos Sainz has achieved P4 at best. He also sustained a harsh penalty at Melbourne. The results are unreflective of a desire to compete at the top.

Despite these harsh setbacks, team principal Frederic Vasseur has insisted, “I have absolutely no doubt about the motivation of Charles. For sure the start of the season is not ideal at all. We had a DNF in Bahrain, then the penalty in Jeddah and the DNF in Melbourne – it was not at all the plan.” He also insisted that he maintains a good relationship with Leclerc and that the mood will remain unaffected by recent results.

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Vasseur also emphasized the importance of everyone staying motivated and spoke of how everyone is pushing in the right direction with the full support of the drivers. He stated that the mood in the team is incredible despite their sub-par results and that morale is high.

The 2023 season so far has been adverse for the Ferrari drivers

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc via PlanetF1

The title challenge Ferrari expected to mount bears a stark contrast to their results. Both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are already seemingly out of contention for the title, given their results as well as the current level of the car in comparison to the front runners.

Charles Leclerc has been reported to be growing increasingly frustrated with his team’s incapability of producing a car that can help crown him world champion in recent years. He has consistently been a victim of reliability issues and strategy errors, rendering it a recurring theme at Ferrari. This season has been no different, with the Monégasque suffering an engine failure in the first race. He also retired in Melbourne, with his frustration visible to all. His hopes of being a World champion while still in his prime are starting to look bleak. These frustrations have brought his motivation to continue with the team into question.

Ferrari F1 boss Vasseur has "no doubt" about Leclerc's motivation pic.twitter.com/uPl3AGVjku
— Blaise Bradshaw (@bradshaw877) April 12, 2023

Carlos Sainz has also had a similarly poor start to the season. He was overtaken by his Spanish rival Alonso in Bahrain and only crossed the line in P4. In Jeddah, his pace seemed poor, and P6 was the only finish he could manage, just ahead of his teammate. It was the events of the Australian GP that frustrated the Spaniard beyond measure. At the restart post a second red flag, Sainz collided with Fernando Alonso and was penalized- resulting in him dropping out of the points. He believed this was a harsh decision, and the team invoked their right to review, which was subsequently denied, making the penalty stand.

Ferrari has only managed a total of 26 points this season, their lowest since 2010. Sainz holds 20 points, while his teammate Leclerc holds only 6. These poor circumstances are expected to affect their morale and raise doubts about their motivation in future races, and justifiably so. The team stands 4^th in the constructors’ standings,30 points off 3^rd. However, with the motivation they have been confirmed to possess, a resurgence is not out of the question for the team from Maranello. With the right support from the team, the drivers can once again put themselves in contention for the title.