Ralf Schumacher has criticized the two Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz for “stupid” mistakes, which, according to the former Formula 1 driver, cost the Scuderia one or two successes last season.
Ferrari actually started the Formula 1 season as a possible title contender at the beginning of last year due to the overall good impressions from 2022, but their high hopes quickly fizzled out. On the one hand, this was due to the sheer dominance of Red Bull and world champion Max Verstappen, but on the other hand, it was also due to their own people.
In the end, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, it was only enough for third place in the constructors’ championship (406 points), just behind F1 rival Mercedes (409 points). After the runner-up title last year, the Italians only managed one victory in 2023, which Sainz won in Singapore. However, in many other races the Spaniard was not at his best. Leclerc also had to struggle with his own mistakes.
Would there have been more to it with better driver performance for Ferrari, could they have even annoyed Red Bull? “From my point of view, definitely, that would have been possible,” said former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher as a guest on the podcast “Formula For Success” by David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan in response to a corresponding question.
“But with the two drivers you never know what they will do: they lead a race, spin or crash – at least not into each other, but they make stupid mistakes, which often surprises me,” Schumacher put his finger in the red one Wound.
Schumacher: Ferrari is currently not a contender for the Formula 1 title
Will Ferrari be able to get a little closer to Mercedes and especially Red Bull in 2024? According to Schumacher, questionable.
“I think, Fred [Vasseur] is doing a good job so far. You can see that the group is growing together a little better, making fewer mistakes and making very good pit stops,” said the German about the team boss installed last year, but added: “But at the moment I wouldn’t see them as the biggest competitor , but maybe I’m wrong.”
In any case, we won’t see more details until the test drives start in mid-February. “Then you can judge it better,” said Schumacher.