F1 team boss admits 95% of car’s components are changing ahead of the 2024 season

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Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has admitted that next year’s car will be almost an entirely different beast from the one seen on track in 2023.

Vasseur was hosting several media outlets including Mundo Deportivo during a Christmas event.

Ferrari’s season felt like a case of what could have been with the car clearly capable of delivering incredible speeds over short spurts.

Charles Leclerc was phenomenal in qualifying, but couldn’t convert any of his pole positions into races.

It was a real source of frustration for the Monegasque driver who looks set to commit his long-term future to the team.

His teammate Carlos Sainz may not have been as consistently quick over one lap but did secure the team’s only win of the season in Singapore.

Sainz’s future at Ferrari is under threat although it does feel like he’s been underrated wherever he’s gone in Formula 1.

So much so, that he’s reportedly being considered as a potential replacement for Sergio Perez at Red Bull.

Sainz and Leclerc might have a very different Ferrari to drive in 2024 judging by Frederic Vasseur’s comments.

The French team boss has steadied the ship at Ferrari after a difficult few years.

Although he’s admitted it’s not a completely new car if he’s making that many changes ahead of next season, there are plenty of risks involved.

They just have to ask Mercedes what happens when you try and tinker too much with the car.

Vasseur admits very different Ferrari will be on the grid next year

Speaking about their development, Vasseur said: “Revolution? I don’t know if it’s the right word.

“We have the same regulations for the third year in a row and it is a matter of tenths of a second. Of course, we have to take a step.

“’Revolution’ is your word. We will change approximately 95% of the car’s components. “I don’t know if that’s a revolution or not.

“We are taking a good step, but in the end, it is a comparison. If you improve one second and your rivals improve 1.20 you will look stupid, but if they improve [by] 0.80 you will be a superhero.

“I don’t know if the rest is doing better or worse. We will see it in the preseason tests in Bahrain.”

With two years left of the current regulations, Vasseur delivering a different Ferrari next year does pose a risk.

Catching Red Bull isn’t going to be easy and they’ll be aiming to improve even further over the summer.

If they are changing 95% of their components, it’ll either see them make significant gains on the reigning champions or potentially fall further behind.