Johnny Herbert: Ferrari needs to focus on Horner, lacks leader.
The Scuderia Ferrari, a name synonymous with the very soul of Formula 1, finds itself at another critical inflection point, and according to former F1 driver Johnny Herbert, the solution lies not on the track but in the pit wall’s top seat. Herbert has thrown a strategic hand grenade into the Maranello discourse, asserting that the legendary Italian outfit must seriously contemplate a leadership overhaul and set its sights on a proven winner: Christian Horner, the recently departed architect of the Red Bull dynasty.This isn't just about a driver swap or a new front wing; this is a fundamental call to address what Herbert identifies as a profound leadership vacuum, a void that has persisted through multiple management eras and prevented the team from harnessing its immense potential. Herbert’s argument cuts to the core of Ferrari’s modern-era struggles.He contends that the drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, are not the problem, and while the SF-24 lacks the ultimate pace to consistently challenge Red Bull and McLaren, the car's performance deficit is merely a symptom of a deeper organizational malaise. The real failure, he insists, has been the inability to attract and, more importantly, empower the right technical minds, the kind of geniuses who can design a machine capable of dominating a season.Here, Herbert points to Horner’s masterstroke at Red Bull as the blueprint Ferrari has failed to follow. When the legendary designer Adrian Newey left McLaren, it was Horner who personally convinced him to take on the challenge of building Red Bull from a fizzy-drink-backed newcomer into a world-beating powerhouse.But Horner’s genius wasn't just in the recruitment; it was in the cultivation. He created a unique environment, a culture of trust and ambition where a technical savant like Newey could 'breathe and thrive.' This is the crucial differentiator. It’s the leadership philosophy of attracting top-tier talent and then giving them the freedom and resources to execute their vision without being stifled by corporate bureaucracy or political infighting—a scenario that has historically plagued the Ferrari garage.Herbert draws a stark parallel, stating unequivocally that this is what Ferrari has 'so far failed to achieve. ' The team, for all its resources and history, 'lacks a leader' in the mold of Horner or Mercedes' Toto Wolff, a figure who can be the gravitational center for excellence.Team principal Fred Vasseur, while respected, now operates under this intensified scrutiny. Herbert acknowledges Vasseur’s recent contract extension but issues a stark warning: if the 2025 season begins with another string of underwhelming results, the pressure for a radical change will become irresistible.The implication is clear; Ferrari’s *gestione*—its management philosophy—needs a revolution as much as its power unit does. The historical precedent is damning.Since the Jean Todt, Ross Brawn, and Michael Schumacher trifecta dissolved, Ferrari has cycled through leaders without recapturing that alchemical blend of technical brilliance and ruthless operational efficiency. The prospect of poaching Horner, a figure now unshackled and possessing a proven track record of building and sustaining a dynasty, represents the kind of bold, market-rattling move that could finally break the cycle.It’s a move that would signal not just a desire to win, but a willingness to fundamentally transform the team’s culture from the top down. For the Tifosi, Herbert’s analysis is a painful but necessary truth.The quest for the next Schumacher is futile without finding the next Todt or Brawn to build the car and the team around him. The championship isn’t just won on Sunday; it’s won in the meeting rooms and the wind tunnels, under the guidance of a leader who can unite a team and unleash its collective talent. Until Ferrari solves this foundational problem, the wait for a meaningful title challenge will likely continue, no matter how many upgrades are bolted onto the car.
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