Ferrari gives up on Adrian Newey and is ready to launch Loic Serra
07/25/2024 09:33 AM
The revival operation is proving more difficult than expected. The push by Frederic Vasseur, following his arrival at Ferrari in January 2023, has borne some fruit. There has been a reaction from the team, better organization of track operations, and a step forward for the car in the start of the 2024 Formula 1 championship.
However, the usual hurdle linked to aerodynamic developments during the season, an old weak point for Ferrari, has complicated the team principal’s path as the season progressed. Ferrari’s performance has seen a sharp slowdown in the last five races, after Charles Leclerc’s illusory victory on the streets of Monaco in front of his home fans, and rivals have pulled ahead again. There is a feeling that Ferrari is missing another great opportunity now that Max Verstappen’s Red Bull has become vulnerable, while McLaren and the resurgent Mercedes, led by former Ferrari men Andrea Stella and James Allison respectively, are able to capitalize on the difficulties encountered by the Austrian side.
At this moment, Frederic Vasseur is fighting on multiple fronts. On one side, there is a need to regain competitiveness on the track, starting from the race on Sunday at the 7.004-kilometre Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, as the current third place in the Constructors’ Championship is not enough. On the other hand, there are foundations to be laid for the 2025 Formula 1 campaign, when seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will arrive in Maranello to replace Carlos Sainz, creating adequate conditions. After the summer, specifically on October 1, Frenchman Loic Serra, a compatriot of Frederic Vasseur, will start working in the factory.
The Ferrari team principal brought Loic Serra from Mercedes, with the cooperation of his friend Toto Wolff, securing a reduction of the originally scheduled “gardening leave” period. At Mercedes, the French F1 engineer was involved in vehicle dynamics, therefore the interaction between chassis, suspension, and tires, and was one of the key players in the golden era resulting in eight world titles. His arrival will certainly be welcomed by Lewis Hamilton as well. Initially, Loic Serra was expected to take on the role of head of engineering and chassis performance development, coordinating various departments including track engineering, aerodynamic development, and vehicle dynamics. He was supposed to report to technical director Enrico Cardile. However, now that Enrico Cardile has left the Maranello team to join Aston Martin in 2025, it is likely that Loic Serra will effectively replace him, further strengthening his position. It is clear that former Ferrari Head of Aerodynamics Department Enrico Cardile felt no longer had withdraw legitimate status or authority after the official appointment of Loic Serra, making it easier to accept the substantial financial offer from magnate Lawrence Stroll, who apparently doubled his salary at Maranello.
For Loic Serra, the adventure at Ferrari will be a major test, as he has never had such extensive responsibilities before. Frederic Vasseur has full confidence in him, which is a real gamble. The Ferrari team principal has been trying for months to woo Adrian Newey following the announcement of the divorce between the ingenious English engineer and Red Bull. The courtship was intense, with meetings, discussions, and contract drafts exchanged between the parties, but in the end, the paths of the wizard and Ferrari diverged. Adrian Newey is reportedly very close to signing with Aston Martin, where Lance Stroll is prepared to offer him a golden bridge, presenting an ambitious project and an offer of one hundred million dollars for four years. Working at the new Silverstone facility would allow the 65-year-old technical supervisor to remain in his beloved Britain until the end of his Formula 1 career.
The recruitment campaign by Frederic Vasseur, who enjoys the support of President John Elkann, has been remarkable since he took command. The Maranello team has been strengthened with the hiring of about fifty engineers. Many key figures have changed compared to previous years, with the departure of strategist Inaki Rueda, aerodynamicist David Sanchez, sporting director Laurent Mekies, and more recently Xavi Marcos, Charles Leclerc’s race engineer, and now technical director Enrico Cardile.
It is also worth pointing out that a new a “threat” could be represented by former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto, who has just been appointed Chief Operating Officer and Technical Director of Audi’s program for entering F1 in 2026, fielding their own team and engine. Mattia Binotto worked at for the Italian side for almost three decades until he left the team at the end of the 2022 Formula 1 championship and could leverage his past role as head of the engine-power unit department and his knowledge to poach important technicians from Ferrari. Enrico Gualtieri, the head of the power unit division, is unlikely to move, but others probably will. Meanwhile, Mattia Binotto will find in his engine staff an Italian he previously encountered at Maranello between 2005 and 2019: Walter Citterio, an engineer from Italy who joined the German side in March as head of development for the six-cylinder engine that will be the heart of Audi power. He brings with him a wealth of experience and secrets learned at Ferrari.
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