Ferrari's Secret Weapon That Makes Them the Most Powerful Team in F1
When it comes to motorsport, few names are as iconic as Ferrari. From their sleek and stylish cars to their record-breaking achievements, they have become a household name around the world. But did you know that this legendary team has a secret weapon up their sleeve?
Team chief Fred Vasseur calls it their "nuclear button," and it's a power that no other team on the grid possesses. This button gives Ferrari the ability to veto any rule changes that they feel are not in their best interest or the best interest of the sport. That's right, they can unilaterally block any regulation change without batting an eye.
This power was given to Ferrari back in 1980 when rumours were swirling that they might leave Formula 1. To keep them in the game, they were granted this extraordinary ability, and they still have it today. In fact, they managed to retain this privilege during the last negotiation of the Concorde Agreement in 2019.
Why is this power so important? Well, without Ferrari in the sport, Formula 1 would be in big trouble. That's how influential this team is. But despite their massive influence, Ferrari's new team principal Vasseur, has made it clear that they won't be pressing their "nuclear button" anytime soon.
When asked who holds the power to activate Ferrari's veto ability, Vasseur explained,
"It's a team representative and an F1 commission representee on the World [Motorsport] Council. I'm supposed to vote in function of the decisions of the teams, this is crystal clear."
But why won't they be using this incredible power? It's not because they're afraid to wield it. No, it's because the quality of the job done at the F1 commission level is excellent. According to Vasseur:
"When we are bringing something [forward], the next step I think is quite finalised. I think Ferrari have never used [the veto] in the past because of the work done at the F1 commission. Even if sometimes we are not on the same page and are fighting each other. I don't see where we could use [the veto] in the short term. I mean that honestly."
So, it seems that Ferrari's "nuclear button" will remain unused, at least for the time being. But it's still a power that reminds us just how significant this team is in the world of motorsport.
Last year, Ferrari improved drastically, but unfortunately for them, Red Bull became almost unbeatable thanks to the driving talent of Max Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez, and the aerodynamic wizardry of Adrian Newey. Now, the Scuderia is aiming to secure second place in the championship at the very least, but they'll have to face some fierce competition from Aston Martin and maybe even Mercedes.