Leclerc Shines, But Ferrari’s Real Battle Is Stability.
After Leclerc’s perfect drive in Jeddah, Ferrari boss Vasseur says consistency, not pace, is key to fighting at the front.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur praised Charles Leclerc’s performance at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where the Monegasque driver secured the team’s first podium of the season. But while the result was encouraging, Vasseur believes the real challenge isn’t Ferrari’s speed — it’s consistency.
“Even on the hard tyres at the end, Charles was strong,” Vasseur said. “He managed his race perfectly from start to finish. He looked after the tyres early on, knowing the strategy would be long, and when it was time to push, he did it just like in qualifying. In the final 30 laps, we didn’t lose any time to Piastri or Verstappen.”
For Vasseur, this race sets a solid foundation for the rest of the season. But he admits qualifying remains a weak point.
“We could’ve done better than third on the grid. Starting fourth means more dirty air and that costs you. In F1, one small mistake can snowball — you lose balance, the tyres overheat, and suddenly the gap grows fast.”
Still, he’s optimistic: “If you look at our race pace, we’re up there with Red Bull and ahead of Mercedes. We just need to start higher up.”
When asked about Lewis Hamilton’s struggles, Vasseur was honest: “It was a tough weekend for Lewis. He had a good first stint and started the second one well too, but overall, it lacked consistency. That’s where we need to improve — being on the pace from the first lap of Friday to the last lap of Sunday.”
He also had a word for McLaren, Ferrari’s current rivals: “I have a lot of respect for what they’re doing. We’re fighting hard on track, but there’s mutual respect. And they’re not miles ahead — the gap is small. If we can put everything together across a weekend, we’re right there.”
For Vasseur, it all comes down to one thing: “Performance isn’t our problem — it’s about being consistent. That’s what we need to fix.”
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Vasseur: Ferrari Need Consistency, Not Just Raw Speed Vasseur: Ferrari Need Consistency, Not Just Raw Speed
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