Fred Vasseur, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilon, Fred Vasseur and Charles Leclerc

Ferrari’s 17-Year title wait: Piero Ferrari reveals key factor behind drought

17:14, 15 Aug

Updated: 18:17, 15 Aug

bySamson Ero

Son of the Ferrari team founder, Piero Ferrari, has recently weighed in on a crucial factor hindering the Italian team from winning the championship. The 80-year-old pointed out a key issue during his recent interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The motorsports chief and part-owner of the Scuderia Ferrari outfit highlighted how cyclical changes within the Formula 1 landscape have contributed to the team’s failure to clinch a championship in recent seasons. Piero also stressed that the cost cap currently in place in the sport has been another factor.

"I think it's a question of cycles. F1 has always worked like this, and when you start a negative one, you don't know when you'll hit rock bottom. Today, it's very complicated because you can't spend more money to fill the gaps, given the limitations of the budget cap. You need to string together a series of winning aspects to change course."

Ferrari last tasted Constructors’ Championship success in the 2008 season, with Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen as drivers. The Maranello-based outfit also last celebrated Drivers’ Championship success in 2007, when Raikkonen clinched his title.

Since then, the Italian outfit have come close to title glory with Fernando Alonso in 2010 and 2012.

Ferrari’s 2025 season so far

The 2025 campaign for the Ferrari team has not unfolded the way many had envisaged, especially off the back of their strong finish to the 2024 season. The Maranello-based outfit, despite currently lying second in the standings, trail pace-setters McLaren by a staggering 299-point deficit.

This gap to the papaya-coloured team appears to have raised concerns, especially considering Ferrari finished only 14 points behind McLaren in the 2024 standings. The Italian outfit is also without a race victory after the first 14 rounds of the season, recording only four podium finishes—courtesy of Charles Leclerc—so far.