Frederic Vasseur is adamant that Ferrari's Formula 1 concept has "nothing" to do with the visuals of the car, with their upgraded package changing the look of the SF-23.
Ferrari continued with the 2022 look on the SF-23 when it broke cover and for the first six races of the 2023 season, but have fallen well behind leaders Red Bull and the chasing Mercedes and Aston Martin – although Charles Leclerc did grab the only non-Red Bull pole in Azerbaijan.
For the Spanish Grand Prix, a sizeable upgrade package was delivered, with the sidepods of the car similar in nature to the 'downwash' effect pioneered by Red Bull on the class-leading RB19.
The sidepods are not a fundamental performance differentiator in 2023, with the floors of the car and how well they seal the airflow underneath to create ground effects and downforce being of vital importance, as Vasseur pointed out.
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Visuals nothing to do with Ferrari concept
"First, the concept has nothing to do visually," Vasseur explained to media, including RacingNews365.com, before the Spain upgrades were applied to the car.
"The issues [with the car] has nothing to do with the visual aspects of the car, but it's clear that we are suffering more in the race than in qualifying.
"We have to find consistency, but it is not a matter of concept, it's a matter of a good usage of the package that you have, a good usage of the tyres and the balance of the car.
"So far, we are not perfect as it is very tight, and if you are a bit out of the [operating] window, you have to push [over the limit].
"But that doesn't mean that you have to change your concept and change the philosophy of the car."
Can Ferrari still win a race?
Ferrari are closing in on a year since their last Grand Prix win, when Leclerc won in Austria on 10 July 2022, with their best result in '23 being Leclerc's third place in Baku.
But Vasseur remains confident that a win can be achieved in 2023 to avoid a third winless season in four years for the Scuderia.
"We're always in position to fight for the front row or pole position, and it's much easier to find the consistency than find the potential," he explained.
"It means that as soon as we're able to unlock this issue that we have today, then starting from the first row, we'll be able to fight for the win, but it is like it is.
"We know where we have to improve, and everybody's focus is on this and we'll bring updates and solutions to try to improve but for sure, we can expect to win."
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