Following a highly disappointing start to the 2024 Formula 1 season, Vicky Piria of Sky Sport Italia analyzes the sentiment among the passionate Ferrari fans (tifosi) as the team returns home for this weekend`s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
After a strong finish to the 2023 season and with the anticipation of Lewis Hamilton joining from Mercedes in 2025, Ferrari were expected to contend for both the drivers` and constructors` championships this year.
Instead, the season`s initial six rounds have seen the reigning constructors` champions, McLaren, demonstrating superior performance, while Red Bull and Mercedes have offered significantly tougher competition than the Scuderia.
Worryingly for Ferrari, their weakest performance yet occurred in the most recent race in Miami. Lewis Hamilton finished a minute behind winner Oscar Piastri in eighth place, with his teammate Charles Leclerc only slightly ahead in seventh, three seconds faster.
From Ferrari`s perspective, this timing for the first of their two home races this season might not be ideal. Imola hosts the event this weekend, preceding the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in September.
Unmet High Hopes Lead to Questions About Car Design Changes
Piria, a former W Series driver and Sky Sport Italia pundit, suggests that the elevated expectations leading into the season have made the team`s slow start even more disheartening.
She commented: “The initial excitement was huge, but then everything seemed to get progressively worse, particularly after Miami, which was quite a poor race for Ferrari. The one-minute gap between McLaren and Lewis was definitely something Italians did not anticipate.”
“Since joining Ferrari,” she added, “I think Fred (Vasseur) has consistently been very careful about managing expectations and keeping them grounded. But this year felt different; everyone was genuinely very excited.”
“Now, naturally, everyone is a bit disappointed.”
Ferrari made significant changes to their car for 2024, despite ending the previous season on a high note. This has led some observers recently to question whether it would have been a better strategy to focus on developing the 2023 model further.
Piria shared the common discussion among fans: “People are asking, `You finished last season so strongly, why completely redesign the car?`”
“The change from push-rod to pull-rod suspension, and extensive modifications to the rear setup, appear to be the current challenge for Ferrari,” she explained. “The car is struggling to get the rear to stick to the ground; it feels very slippery, with a lot of oversteer occurring.”
Tifosi Passion Too Strong for Booing, Despite Frustration
While there is frustration regarding Ferrari`s performance early in the season, Piria believes the tifosi will arrive at Imola filled with hope for a potential turnaround in the team`s recent fortunes.
She stated: “Ultimately, the passion is so strong that I don`t believe people will be booing Ferrari. Fans will certainly be cheering the team on and hoping for something positive to happen.”
“The season is still long,” she reminded. “If you think back, McLaren made a significant step around this time last year (2023), which gives fans hope that a comeback is still possible.”
“Frustration will be there, of course. Italians are known for being very emotional – I`m the first one! So, those emotions will definitely surface.”
She noted: “Considering results like Lewis Hamilton`s Sprint victory in China and his podium in Miami, it takes quite a while for the tifosi to become truly angry and disappointed. But they are very quick to regain their hopes.”
“And I truly believe that even if things aren`t going perfectly, just one strong race is enough for them to erupt in celebration.”
Imola Crucial as Last Chance Before 2026 Focus
Most teams on the grid are expected to bring significant car upgrades to Imola, as the first European race of the season is typically when new parts debut.
This season`s upgrades at Imola are considered even more critical than usual. With major changes planned for the regulations in 2026, teams not currently competing for victories are likely to soon redirect their resources and focus towards developing next year`s car.
Piria commented: “There will clearly be some upgrades. I think the feeling is that everyone is rushing to bring improvements at this stage of the year because waiting might leave you too late.”
“Later in the season,” she explained, “I believe teams will need to switch their focus and energy to the 2026 project. So, it`s really over these next two or three races that teams, and particularly Ferrari, will introduce their major upgrades.”
“It`s genuinely important that these upgrades deliver results,” Piria stressed, “because if they work and bring the team closer to the frontrunners, then investment can continue on the current car. Otherwise, I think the focus must shift to 2026, and that`s the decision Ferrari will face.”
“That`s why Imola will be a crucial event. Imola and Barcelona will truly be pivotal tests to understand if they should maintain their focus on the 2024 car or immediately pivot entirely to 2026 development.”
“Honestly,” she concluded, “if they are still significantly off the pace in Barcelona, it`s probably better for them to concentrate solely on next year.”
Vasseur Facing Significant Pressure
Frederic Vasseur, who became Ferrari`s team principal at the start of 2023, has generally overseen a successful period. However, he is likely to face increasing pressure if the team`s struggles persist.
Piria noted: “If we consider the situation, this is effectively the first year where the team is entirely Fred`s vision. He has his technical team in place, has influenced the car`s development, and has the drivers he chose, yet things aren`t performing as expected.”
“We`ve seen with these F1 cars that even small details can drastically impact performance, leading to either underperformance or strong results,” she added. “So, I still believe there`s a possibility for them to significantly improve.”
“This is something we see frequently in Italian football,” Piria observed. “As soon as a team underperforms, they tend to change the coach. So, there will certainly be considerable pressure on Fred.”
“Mattia Binotto faced similar pressure during periods of underperformance in the past, and knowing the tifosi, it will happen again,” she said. “However, we`re often discussing very small margins, just a few tenths of a second, and that`s not a huge gap to overcome to completely change the picture.”
“But,” she warned, “if the situation we witnessed in Miami continues in the upcoming races, then the pressure on Fred will undoubtedly increase.”
Could `Kimi-mania` Offer a Welcome Diversion?
For Italy, a nation deeply passionate about motorsport, there has been some cause for celebration. Andrea Kimi Antonelli has made an encouraging start to his rookie season with Mercedes.
The 18-year-old secured his maiden F1 pole position during the Miami Grand Prix Sprint and has captured the hearts of many Italians as he prepares for his first home race.
Piria commented: “There is immense, immense excitement surrounding Kimi. I don`t think Italians expected him to be so fast, or so charismatic, or to embrace his Italian heritage so visibly.”
“He`s even bringing lasagna for the entire team on Thursday for them to eat,” she shared, “which is something Italians will absolutely love. I think considerable attention is now shifting towards Kimi.”
“While there was anticipation for Kimi,” she continued, “I don`t believe the tifosi fully anticipated him being this quick and charismatic. His Sprint pole position in Miami particularly ignited `Kimi-mania`.”
“This race will be highly significant for Kimi because he knows the circuit exceptionally well,” Piria stated. “He did extensive F1 testing here last year. It`s a track he`s familiar with, one he feels comfortable on, and he`s coming from Miami where he felt good about his performance.”
“So, I anticipate he could show another step in performance and potentially challenge George (Russell) in some way. Therefore, I expect significant anticipation for his performance,” she concluded.
The Formula 1 season`s European leg commences this weekend with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
