Vasseur: I can feel how much work has gone into the SF-23

Presenting the new Ferrari car, team principal Frederic Vasser stressed that his contribution to the common cause is still small as he has only recently taken charge of the Scuderia, but he feels the team has the right attitude for the start of the new season.

Q: It is noticeable that the Scuderia drivers have an excellent relationship, but I want to ask: do you think which of them will win the Grand Prix this year??
Frederick Wasser: Frankly, I don’t care – the main thing is that the victory went to Ferrari. The whole team is such a target, and of course we will adjust both our riders equally. Let’s see how it goes in Bahrain, but the main thing is that Ferrari is ahead.

Of course, as you can imagine, I feel the urgency of the moment, because I feel responsible for the whole team, which I get to lead to my credit. The main goal is to succeed, and until we show the desired results, I don’t have much reason to be happy. We face serious challenges.

Q: What would you like to say to the team on the day of the new car presentation?
Frederick Wasser: When a team makes such a presentation, it is always an exciting moment. I recently joined the Scuderia and my contribution to the common cause is still very small, but I really feel how much work has been put into the SF-23. Now that the car is ready it will be handed over to the race team and when we get back to work on the track it’s like going back to school after the holidays.

I feel that everyone is proud of the results of the work done, and this is a very important feeling, because it affects the general mood. There is a very long season ahead, but the team is focused on achieving high results.

If you remember other teams’ presentations, they were quite virtual, but I don’t want to talk about the opponents. At the same time, I am very proud of how our presentation is going, as tifosi gathered numerous guests on the track, and this is a really great event. I’m sure this is the best way to start the season.

Question: They say you are learning Italian: how are you?
Frederick Wasser: This is not easy! (laughs and says a few words in Italian)

Question: What emotions do you experience when you hear the sound of the SF-23 engine?
Frederick Wasser: When we started the engine for the first time last week, all the employees of the Maranello base experienced strong emotions. And today we can already hear the sound of our car on the track – this is of course an important moment, but now we have to fully concentrate on the next 23 Grand Prix.

Q: What can you say about the work of Ferrari’s mechanics in winter?
Frederick Wasser: It is clear that engine modernization is almost completely frozen, but we can do certain work to improve reliability. It’s no secret that Ferrari didn’t do well with this last year. But in the base in Maranello we did well and now we are ready for the season. If we talk about the power of the power plant, I think it will be at a high level. I think everything should be fine in this regard.