Flavio Briatore sets Ferrari a very ambitious target for F1 2024 season
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc takes the fight to Red Bull at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix,
Former Renault boss Flavio Briatore believes Ferrari should be aiming to finish on the podium at every race in the F1 2024 season after an inconsistent 2023.
Ferrari enjoyed a respectable start to the Fred Vasseur era in 2023, becoming the only team other than Red Bull to win a race with Carlos Sainz’s victory at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Sainz and Charles Leclerc also set seven pole positions over the course of the season, with the pair claiming nine podium finishes between them in total.
Flavio Briatore reveals Ferrari F1 2024 expectations
Despite recovering from a slow start to the season to emerge as regular pole and podium contenders in the closing weeks of the campaign, Ferrari were defeated by Mercedes in the fight for second place in the Constructors’ standings at the final round in Abu Dhabi.
Briatore, who led Benetton and Renault to World Championship success with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso respectively, was alarmed by Ferrari’s severe drop-off in performance between qualifying and race conditions.
And, according to the Monaco Tribune, he believes the Scuderia should target at least a podium at every single round in 2024.
After receiving an award at the Caschi d’Oro gala, he said of Ferrari: “Their World Championship was like a chiaroscuro.
“There were races where they were competitive in qualifying, with much less fuel, then not as competitive in the race afterwards.
“We have to hope there will be an improvement this winter if they are to be more competitive. For the sake of all Italians and for the sport I hope that Ferrari can do better, even though winning the World Championship could be tough.
“Ferrari should be aiming at a podium at least in every race. Let’s hope a Frenchman helps Ferrari win, like I helped the French.”
With Max Verstappen claiming a record 19 victories en route to a third successive World Championship in 2023, Briatore is keen for F1 to have more competition in 2024.
He added: “I hope there will be a bit more antagonism next year, otherwise it won’t be much fun. People need to see a proper fight for the title, not such strong domination.”
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Briatore’s comments come after Sainz called for a major improvement in 2024 having not enjoyed driving last year’s Ferrari.
Asked by Spanish outlet AS what he wants to see changed on the car ahead of the new season, he said: “A lot.
“It’s been said that it’s a car that suits me, that I like. Honestly, it has given me headaches, not only for me.
“For my partner, for Ferrari, it’s very difficult to understand. I’m not enjoying driving it, I’ve had to adapt a lot of things and I’ve had to try a lot of set-up things.
“I hope that in 2024 it will be more versatile and easier to drive and set-up, that we have a better race car.”
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