Fred Vasseur maintains composure after Bahrain, highlighting Ferrari’s competitive edge and a closer gap to Red Bull in the 2024 F1 opener.
Vasseur remains calm following the Bahrain Grand Prix that kicked off the 2024 F1 season. The Ferrari director is pleased to see the SF-24 competitive in terms of outright performance, noting that the gap to Red Bull is smaller than last year.
“There’s certainly a mixed feeling post-race,” Vasseur admits. “On the bright side, we could have clinched pole with the fastest lap in Q2. Perhaps we’ve halved the gap to Red Bull during the race compared to last year, as we were around fifty seconds behind.”
“The downside is it’s still not enough, and we faced too many issues over the weekend. We need to address Charles’s car brake problem. But overall, I think he did a very good job.”
“And from the pit wall too, as we managed to secure fourth place under those circumstances. Honestly, at the start of the first stint, seeing the situation, I wasn’t very optimistic.”
Vasseur isn’t worried about the intense on-track battle between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz either. The latter will leave Scuderia at season’s end, but the Frenchman is confident his drivers will remain professional throughout the year.
“Ferrari knows things might get spicy this season, but there was no lack of professionalism, and they performed well in the race. Honestly, I expected him to react with such fiery behavior.”
“That’s also why we decided to announce early, to turn the page and focus on the season. And again, Carlos’s response was nothing short of professional. We want him to perform his best.”
“We didn’t have a flawless weekend”
When asked if Ferrari can catch up with Red Bull, Vasseur deflects: “Firstly, I’m not focusing on Red Bull, I’m focusing on ourselves and trying to make the most of what we have. We didn’t have a flawless weekend; too many minor issues in qualifying and the race.”
“We also have to consider that Jeddah will be a completely different story, a different layout, different tarmac. We’ll have a better overall picture after Melbourne. Before Melbourne, it’s hard to have a clear view of the championship.”
Before focusing on Red Bull, Ferrari must ensure they are the second force against Mercedes, McLaren, and Aston Martin: “It’s very hard to tell, as we’re second, but it’s also very, very close with them. The gap from first to tenth has halved compared to last year.”
“This means any issue you face, or if the setup isn’t right, or if the car suits one circuit better, it can completely change the top 10 standings.”
“We shouldn’t jump to conclusions now. It’s far too early. I’m quite happy with the points we’ve scored. I expected a bit more, but given the circumstances, it’s a good result. Let’s focus on next week and start afresh.”
Vasseur Ferrari Bahrain 2024. Vasseur Ferrari Bahrain 2024
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