Vasseur explains uncertain future of partnership with Ferrari

The fact that the Ferrari engine struggled to keep up with the top of the grid in the 2020 season now feels like a huge understatement. What's more, the Scuderia's underperformance was not only a pain for Ferrari, but also for customer teams Haas and Alfa Romeo.

While Alfa Romeo managed to win 57 manufacturer points in 2019, the tally at the end of this season stands at a meagre 8. This huge difference explains the lost romance between the team and its engine supplier, Ferrari. 

Frederic Vasseur, Alfa Romeo's team boss, compares the collaboration with Ferrari as a difficult marriage. He states, as quoted by Formel1.de: “It's like a marriage. Nobody guarantees that you will stay with the same person forever." 

However, Alfa Romeo is still tied to her contract with the Scuderia until the end of 2021. ”Then we have to go over the books, because the next contract should be concluded from 2022 to 2026 because of the new cars", explains Vasseur. "So we have to ask ourselves: what's the best deal? Until now, Ferrari has mostly been a solid partner."

Focus on Haas

It is also expected that the cooperation between Ferrari and Haas will be lifted to a higher level from next season, largely due to the arrival of Mick Schumacher to the team. The move from Ferrari chassis manager Simone Resta to Haas is also interpreted in the light of this.