Ex-Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher has sensationally claimed that Ferrari’s “biggest problem” at the moment isn’t the SF-23 but is actually “the drivers”, following a disappointing Miami Grand Prix.
The Maranello-based team are enduring a miserable start to the 2023 F1 season, with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc having shown little consistency.
Both were at fault for Ferrari’s poor performance on Sunday at the Miami International Autodrome, with Leclerc having crashed at Turn 8 twice ahead of the race.
The Monegasque crashed at the same corner in FP2 and Q3, with the latter having resulted in him qualifying seventh rather than amongst the frontrunners.
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Leclerc ultimately finished the race in seventh after showing little pace, whilst Sainz finished fifth.
However, Sainz would’ve challenged for the podium had he not been awarded a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit-lane, an error he claimed accountability for.
Despite both drivers making errors, Leclerc and Sainz were quick to blame the SF-23 after the race, with the pair having labelled it as “inconsistent”.
“I spoke to Carlos after the race and we agreed that the car is very inconsistent and that it’s practically impossible to push it to the limit,” said Leclerc, as reported by Grandpx.news.
“In one corner you have understeer and in the next corner you have oversteer. That’s strange and we have to check that.”
Sainz added: “This car does not allow you to attack, especially in the race.
“You go all out, do a really good lap, and the next one it’s three tenths slower.”
Whilst Schumacher recognises that the SF-23 isn’t amazing, the German is certain that it’s nowhere near as bad as “they say”, with him taking aim at the pair’s individual errors.
“The car isn’t great,” Schumacher told Sport1, “but it’s better than they say.
“One driver (Sainz) misbrakes at the pit entrance, while the other hardly finishes a fast lap without crashing.
“Frank Williams would have clipped me around the ears. The trend just isn’t good.”
Ferrari remain fourth in the Constructors’ Championship following Miami and in no state to really compete with Aston Martin or Mercedes, who’ve been able to score consistent points.
One person Schumacher doesn’t blame for Ferrari’s current situation is new team principal Frederic Vasseur, with the brother of Michael Schumacher actually noting that apart from the drivers, the Italians are doing a good job.
“A lot has happened already since he took office,” Schumacher added.
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“I see the biggest problem with the drivers. For me, they’re just not consistent enough.
“With his mistakes, Leclerc shows that he either doesn’t have the maturity or maybe at the end of the day he’s not consistently good enough to win a world championship for Ferrari.
“And Sainz was eight tenths away from Leclerc at one weekend. To be honest, the Ferrari team is currently doing a better job than both drivers.”