Ferrari’s Vasseur stays strategic, eschewing championship chatter in a tight contest.
Carlos Sainz’s crash towards the end of the Grand Prix in Baku, colliding with Sergio Pérez, has sparked speculation about whether this could hand the team championship title to McLaren F1.
Indeed, the orange team emerged as the major beneficiary of the race’s concluding laps. They now hold a 20-point lead over Red Bull in the constructors’ standings and are 51 points ahead of Ferrari.
What, then, is Fred Vasseur aiming for as the year draws to a close? Is it second place in the constructors’ standings, or perhaps even overtaking McLaren F1?
“From the beginning, we have not been focused on the championship. We take it race by race, and I believe that is the right approach. The championship is very difficult to predict; it’s so close that one weekend, you might achieve a one-two finish, and the next, you find yourself in seventh,” Vasseur commented.
“Look at Mercedes and what they accomplished before and after the break. And I think that holds true for everyone. It doesn’t make sense to speculate about the situation two or three months from now. There are still around 400 points up for grabs in the constructors’ standings, and that’s significant. It means we need to focus on Baku, then Singapore, and then the next one, trying to do a good job. And we will see at the end.”
Charles Leclerc is currently the man in form for Ferrari: he clinched pole position in Baku, triumphed in Monza, and hasn’t missed a podium in the last four Grands Prix… And since Monza, the Scuderia has regained strong competitiveness thanks to their developments.
Fred Vasseur confirms that spirits are high in Maranello.
“Yes, we are in a good run. But again, it’s been that way for everyone since the start of the season. If you recall the first four races where Red Bull led, we had a good run. Then it was Mercedes, followed by McLaren. I don’t remember the situation ever being so tightly contested in F1, with four teams capable of winning, eight drivers able to take victory. And you never know when you arrive at a venue whether you’ll be fighting for first place or eighth.”
“This means we are currently riding a wave of positive momentum. As you mentioned, we achieved pole position last week. Charles has accumulated a significant number of points over the last four or five weekends, and Carlos has been performing well and will continue to do so this weekend. But it’s always uncertain. This means we need to maintain our focus on the next session, striving to extract the best from the car we have and to execute a flawless weekend because mistakes are costly.”
In Singapore, Ferrari will also introduce some upgrades, albeit less significant ones.
“Yes, we’ve had a session with a new front wing and a slightly different setup, but it won’t be a game changer.”
Carlos Sainz’s 200th F1 race
Turning to the other driver, Carlos Sainz. Has he physically and psychologically recovered from his Baku crash?
“From a psychological perspective, first and foremost, I think it was crucial for us to get back on track and for Carlos to return the following week, particularly to Singapore where we have fond memories. That was the best way to clear the air after Baku. And I have no concerns about his approach for this weekend.”
This will be the Spaniard’s 200th F1 race, his 80th with Ferrari, and one of his final seven with the team… And one of his most impressive races was indeed last year in Singapore, when he resisted the pressure from Lando Norris and George Russell to win, recalls Fred Vasseur.
“His best race with us was last year’s win in Singapore because he secured pole position, managed the pressure from Lando and the Mercedes superbly, and was very astute in his race management, keeping Lando at bay. He was very clever, and for me, it was one of the best races I’ve witnessed.”
Vasseur Enthused by Bearman’s Performance
Fred Vasseur expressed appreciation for the performance of young Ferrari driver, Oliver Bearman, who stepped in for the suspended Kevin Magnussen in the Haas F1 team. The Briton secured a 10th place finish at Baku in only his second Grand Prix.
Bearman appeared well-prepared, and Fred Vasseur is justifiably proud of the Ferrari academy’s work.
“Yes, this probably also stems from the fact that Formula 2 is excellent preparation. Currently, in F2, they race 14 events. There was a time when they did nine or ten, with a car that’s not too far off from an F1 car. And that’s the best preparation. Additionally, many of them spend a great deal of time on simulators and so on, and they are up to the mark.”
“For me, the main challenge for a new driver isn’t speed, because you can find a few drivers with good speed. I’m not talking about mega speed, but good, decent speed. It’s more about managing the weekend and avoiding mistakes. And at the end of the day, if you remember Jeddah, for example, with Ollie, I was very impressed by his work, but even more so by the fact that he made no mistakes at the start, in the pit stops, in all the procedures you have to execute in the car to make it run quickly. I was relaxed. But to make no errors throughout the weekend, especially when the weekend only lasts two days, was truly remarkable…”
“I read somewhere that he was the first to score points in two different teams during his first two races. But it was a very good race for him. It’s not an easy circuit, and to start at Jeddah and Baku, it’s not like starting in Barcelona. Honestly, he handled himself well throughout the weekend. Perhaps a bit too optimistic in FP3… But it’s a promising start to our collaboration.”
- You may also like>Vowles Open to Audi Talks for Colapinto’s Future
- Also make sure you follow us on social media>Facebook and>Twitter
Vasseur Holds Course as Ferrari Navigates Championship Race Vasseur Holds Course as Ferrari Navigates Championship Race. f1 2024 Vasseur Holds Course as Ferrari Navigates Championship Race
