Ferrari needs 'structured plan', not revolution - Brawn

F1 chief Ross Brawn believes Ferrari needs a comprehensive plan to pull itself out of its deep slump, but the House of Maranello does not need a revolution.

The Scuderia is in the midst of its worst performance recession in years, with little hope of improvement given F1's restrictions on development that will inevitably continue to weigh on the team's SF1000 package.

Ferrari's 1,000 world championship race at Mugello last weekend was anything but a festive and cheery milestone, with Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel finishing in the points but far off the front-runners.

©Ferrari

Brawn, the chief architect of the Ferrari dream team that guided the great Michael Schumacher to five consecutive world titles between 2000 and 2004, is well placed to judge his former outfit's current situation.

"Ferrari were anticipating a difficult weekend heading to Mugello, and while Charles Leclerc’s snatched an impressive fifth in qualifying – he didn’t have any pace in the race and quickly went backwards," Brawn commented in his Tuscan GP column on the official F1 website.

"Team-mate Sebastian Vettel didn’t have better fortune.

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Brawn believes that boosting Ferrari's tech department may be necessary, but the Briton dismissed the need for an outright "revolution".

"I’ve been fortunate to see a large part of Ferrari’s 1000 races, including of course a memorable period working there," he said.

"I have fond memories of my time at Maranello. We enjoyed a lot of success, but only after several tough years putting the building blocks in place.

"Ferrari have a lot of work ahead of them to return to the front. A kneejerk reaction never solves a problem.

"A structured plan is needed – and the time given for it to come together. The team may need strengthening, but it doesn’t need a revolution."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.