Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur claims Red Bull’s lenient penalty for breaching the 2021 cost cap has given them an advantage in the 2023 season. The Anglo-Austrian giants lead both championships, with Max Verstappen back on form dominant.
Red Bull received a slap on the wrist with a fine and reduced wind tunnel testing time after breaching the 2021 cost cap. However, Scuderia team boss Vasseur acknowledges that the ‘non-serious’ nature of the ban has helped the team maintain its dominant form since the 2022 season.
Max Verstappen and company. they have won every race of the 2023 season so far, with the rest of the field far behind as it stands. Vasseur believes that the team can still use 100% of its budget in other domains despite the reduced testing time in the wind tunnel. However, it should be noted that they have yet to face the brunt of the ban, with consequences to be seen later in the season.
Speaking to the Italian wing of Motorsport.com, the Ferrari boss opined:
“I think the sanction imposed was not that strong. A tenth of an hour less to use in the wind tunnel is a tenth, but in the end if you can’t use the tunnel you move that budget to another area, you’re still allowed to spend that money somewhere else. In the end, I don’t think it makes much of a difference.”
Ferrari finds a silver lining after 2023 Australian GP disappointment
Despite a dismal weekend for Ferrari in Melbourne, team boss Fred Vasseur remains upbeat and sees a silver lining. He is hopeful about the future of his 2023 challenger, the SF23, as he was able to address tire degradation issues during the race.
Unfortunately, the Scuderia had a terrible start at Albert Park, with neither Charles Leclerc nor Carlos Sainz earning any points. Leclerc crashed on the first lap of the race, while Sainz was penalized for colliding with Fernando Alonso and dropped out of the points.
However, Sainz handled his tires well even without a significant update to his car, offering hope for the rest of the season. Both Ferrari drivers have struggled with tire management since the start of the season, giving them an advantage over their rivals.
Vasseur said (via SoyMotor.com):
“We haven’t made any big aero improvements from Jeddah. It was about finding the right balance for the car. I think we did that in Melbourne, the SF-23 was much easier to drive, much more consistent throughout the race.” “
However, the team is still definitely on the defensive compared to the benchmark Red Bull of 2023, which has been dominant on all tracks so far.