F1 News: Ferrari Chief Reveals Drastic Change Coming To Engineering Team

Ferrari team chief Fred Vasseur has revealed a huge change coming to the team.

Ferrari team chief Frederic Vasseur has revealed a huge engineer overhaul coming to the team in 2024.

The Maranello-based squad has been struggling to put in the required performances so far this season and is currently in fourth position in the constructors' standings.

During an interview with La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Vasseur, who only joined the team this year, reflected on the season so far. He explained:

"We didn't expect these results but everything was visible from the first day on the track. The most important thing, in these cases, is how you react as a group. 

"And the reaction has been good. Getting back to the top takes time. When we talk about F1 people think that problems can be solved in a week, but it is like sailing on a very large ship and establishing a change of course: it is not immediate."

Vasseur went on to explain the ins and outs of gaining staff members from other teams, likening it to football players. He continued:

"Today the personnel market in the GPs is like that of football players, the top 50 technicians have contracts of three years and more, to take them away you have to wait for them to expire or pay rich penalties or negotiate so that they are released ahead of time. 

"In short, it's complicated. With an aggravating circumstance for us compared to the British teams: since the teams are close there, if you hire someone they can keep the same house, the same school for their children and the same lifestyle. 

"For an engineer to come here, on the other hand, we must first convince him, then his wife and the following week his children."

The Frenchman confirmed that the team has hired roughly 25 people and they are still on the hunt for more.

"We have hired about 25 people, but we are looking for more. None are already working at the Scuderia.

"We have signed with a leading name [Loic Serra from Mercedes], which should start on 1 January 2025 but we are trying to anticipate times.

"How can I convince Toto Wolff to release him sooner? I'll try when we're on the boat together...

"However, as happened with [Laurent] Mekies, sometimes you have people who leave Ferrari, situations cross and you can negotiate on dates. Let's say that this soon became the main part of my work at Ferrari.

"You have to create good relationships and convince people to move. The first ones you take are the most difficult, then the others seeing them follow suit".