Fred Vasseur blames the cost cap for hampering Ferrari’s chances to take on Red Bull

Ferrari are currently fourth in the standings, long way behind Red Bull.

Fred Vasseur blames the cost cap for hampering Ferrari’s chances to take on Red Bull

Red Bull team celebrating their Belgian GP win (Left, credits: F1) and Fred Vasseur (Right, credits: F1 news portal from FansBRANDS)

Ferrari’s bid to catch up with the dominant Red Bull team in the 2023 F1 championship remains futile, and team principal Fred Vasseur squarely points to the restrictive cost cap as the prime culprit. Red Bull’s unstoppable streak of 12 wins and their imposing performance margins have exposed the challenges Ferrari faces. Despite Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton‘s pole positions, no team has been able to outpace the formidable Red Bull in the races.

The current scenario shows Ferrari’s struggle against Red Bull’s overwhelming prowess. Ferrari’s valuation at $3.13 billion is impressive, yet the cost cap’s $135 million limitation hampers their efforts to push the envelope. In contrast, Red Bull, the third wealthiest team, maintains its championship pursuit while adhering to the financial cap, nearing their sixth title and Max Verstappen‘s third world title.

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Ferrari’s endeavors to close the gap find resistance in the stringent regulations. Crah.net quotes the Ferrai boss, “Red Bull is also bringing upgrades and upgrades and upgrades.” Despite the pursuit of improvement, Fred Vasseur highlighted, “the reality of the regulations and the cost gap” has limited their advancement compared to the past.

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Fred Vasseur believes porpoising is also one of the things that is hampering their progress

Charles Leclerc's Ferrari porpoising
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari porpoising(Credits: Scuderia Ferrari Fans)

Vasseur pinpointed the challenge of overcoming a significant deficit, stating, “It means that when there is a gap, and a real gap, it’s quite difficult to catch up.” While Ferrari occasionally shines in qualifying, the consistent race pace of Red Bull maintains a substantial lead; as Vasseur lamented, “we are always behind Red Bull and at least in the race they have still a huge gap.”

The Frenchman addressed the complexity and the return of their porpoising problem from last year, stating, “We are pushing like hell to do a better job but if you have a look, and this is crucial,” He added, “with the bouncing and so, it’s not when you are bringing upgrades that you are doing a huge step forward.”

The cost cap regulations, designed to level the playing field, are preventing the wealthier teams from flexing their financial muscles in the development race. As a result, Ferrari is now competing closely for the second position, facing competition from Mercedes, Aston Martin, and McLaren, who are also making significant progress.

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