Smedley joined Ferrari ahead of the 2004 season, arriving just in time to see Michael Schumacher claim his final world title.
Later on, as Felipe Massa’s race engineer, he got a first-hand look at how brutal the sport can be. Massa lost the 2008 title on the last lap when Lewis Hamilton overtook Timo Glock, a moment that played out in front of a home crowd at Interlagos.
That year remains Ferrari’s most recent constructors’ championship, even though Massa missed out on the drivers’ crown.
Plenty of people have tried to bring that success back since then. Fred Vasseur is now leading that effort but faces mounting scrutiny despite having recently signed a new contract. Christian Horner’s name has even been linked to the role following his exit from Red Bull.
Smedley has spoken about how Ferrari have historically reacted during tough stretches and highlighted what they need to avoid this time around if they want to break old habits.
Rob Smedley explains how the pressure is mounting at Ferrari as their wait for an F1 title continues
Speaking on the F1 Nation Podcast, Smedley reflected on his own experiences with Ferrari during tough stretches and said: “It’s not a great place to be in Maranello when things aren’t going well and there isn’t a clear way out.
“And I think this is where the team itself can put an inordinate amount of pressure on itself. And then you just get into this vicious circle where it’s just so difficult to get out because you start to think in the short term and not in the long term.
“Once you start thinking about the next race and that and have the whole operation concentrating on what’s happening tomorrow and how to find that three-tenths tomorrow, you’re dead in the water, right?
“What happens in Maranello, and I’ve seen it myself, when the pressure of not winning and being on the back foot arises, there’s a tendency that the team can start to think in the very short term.
“It will never work, right? I’ve been there; it was exactly like when Red Bull started dominating or Red Bull started beating us. When we brought in those 2009 KERS cars—2009, 2010, 2011—those years when we were always there or thereabouts. We just needed one, two, three tenths. And we probably would have been able to be back in front.
“When McLaren suddenly started to become very competitive in 2023 it was because of a two-year plan beforehand. And I think this is where Ferrari are at now; The pressure will be immense.
Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton still seeking progress after 2025 debut Season
Hamilton currently trails teammate Charles Leclerc by 48 points with six race weekends left on the calendar.
After more than a decade with Mercedes, it’s been a slow adjustment for him at Ferrari, but even small lapses in performance can make a big difference in such a competitive field.
Vasseur has identified areas where both Hamilton and the team need to improve, and the upcoming winter break should give the 40-year-old more time to settle into his new environment.
But if Ferrari doesn’t get things right behind the scenes, even Hamilton’s best efforts may not be enough to put him in title contention.
READ MORE: Rob Smedley urges George Russell to learn from Hamilton’s Mercedes contract saga
It’s now up to Vasseur to take Smedley’s advice on board, move past what’s been a disappointing 2025 season so far, and focus fully on building towards next year and beyond.
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