Former Ferrari race engineer Luca Baldisseri is aware of just a few issues about profitable a F1 world championship, having guided the efforts of Michael Schumacher to a number of world crowns.
The Italian additionally led alongside Ross Brawn Ferrari’s race technique earlier than transferring on to a extra enjoyable function because the supervisor of the Ferrari Driver Academy, a task he held till 2015.
Baldisseri, who now works for the Components Renault Eurocup group’s World Racing Service, continues to be a robust supporter of his former group.
However in an interview with famed Italian F1 blogger Leo Turrini, Baldisseri steered that the largest thorn within the facet of the Scuderia shouldn’t be Pink Bull however the group’s star driver, three-time world champion Max Verstappen.
“I’m the man for Vasseur, for Leclerc, for Sainz, and for everybody who works throughout the racing division,” Baldisseri stated, FormulaPassion.
“However they’ve an issue. And this drawback has a primary and final identify: Max Verstappen.”
In his banner 2023 12 months, Verstappen conceded solely three defeats as he powered his approach onto his third consecutive world championship, the Dutchman profitable 19 races and dropping out to Pink Bull teammate Sergio Perez twice and to Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz solely as soon as, in Singapore.
“Each technology has its image,” Baldisseri added. [Ayrton] Senna, Schumi, [Lewis] Hamilton. Now it’s the Dutchman’s flip.
“He’s within the cockpit of the quickest automotive, however he’s additionally the very best. Pushed by [Sergio] Perez, the Pink Bull is much less stratospheric. There’s a further distinction decided by the driving.
“Like Schumi’s Ferrari when he was on the prime: solely Michael knew how you can make it irresistible.”
Assessing Ferrari’s efficiency relative to Pink Bull, Baldisseri reckons that the Scuderia’s SF-23 charger wasn’t far off Pink Bull’s dominant RB19. He defined the methodology that leads him to such a conclusion.
“Once I analyse a single seater, I all the time do it by trying on the efficiency of the second driver,” he stated.
“And in that sense, it’s even clearer that Ferrari’s efficiency was not a lot lower than that of Sergio Perez’s Pink Bull. The opposite automotive was additional forward as a result of it was pushed by an alien.
“Additionally as a result of the foundations stay steady, which ought to assist us get additional there. To know precisely what is required, we actually have to work within the group.
“Nonetheless, it’s one factor to meet up with Pink Bull, one other, barely harder factor is to meet up with Pink Bull and Verstappen.”
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