Last Sunday, Ferrari faced a frustrating race at the 4.94-kilometre Marina Bay Street Circuit, unable to show their true pace due to an unsuitable starting position. Saturday compromised a better result, and Frederic Vasseur has little doubt that the SF-24 could have had a much better Singapore Grand Prix with an error-free qualifying, identifying Saturday as where the team faltered, rather than Sunday.
Vasseur: “We had Lando’s pace, but missed out on Saturday. McLaren’s wing? It won’t be a problem anymore”
At the end of the race, Frederic Vasseur, during a press conference, commented on Ferrari’s performance, which managed to gain positions and finish fifth and seventh, after starting ninth and tenth. “It was difficult to do better today. The race execution was very good, we had excellent pace. Our problem was on Saturday, during the race, in the last 25 laps, in free air, we had Lando Norris’ pace.” Among many questions, the discussion briefly returned to what happened in qualifying, especially Charles Leclerc’s issues with tire temperatures. “No problem with the tire blankets. In the pitlane, there’s always the usual game of who doesn’t want to go out first, but also not last. We lost temperature there, then during the formation lap, we tried to get back into the ideal window, but then there was the lock-up at Turn 1-2, because you’re always trying to find that last tenth or extra kilometer of speed, and it’s always difficult! It’s part of the game.”
The Ferrari Team Principal emphasized the team’s reaction and commitment on Sunday, recovering from the issues encountered on Saturday. “It’s still positive to finish this way here. In the end, if I have to choose, I’d rather have a bad Saturday and a good race to recover, than just have a bad race. We can go into the break with a positive spirit! We showed, in free air, that we were faster than Red Bull and were fast from Friday, maybe even the fastest.” Vasseur also noted the good pace compared to Lando Norris at the end of the race, although he admits he didn’t pay much attention to Norris’ race management, assuming a push-cool-push strategy to attempt the fastest lap. “But it was encouraging to see our pace so strong. Lando wasn’t our target today, but to score as many points as possible.” Unfortunately, the Q3 error was crucial, and Fred Vasseur strongly emphasizes this point. “Until Q2, we were there with Norris, and also in the race. One small mistake was all it took, but no one can afford that now. We need to be more consistent throughout the weekend. It’s hard to recover from mistakes.”
There’s definitely a sense of a missed opportunity, as Carlos Sainz also mentioned when reflecting on the circuits and the characteristics of the SF-24. “We do well on street circuits, and we know the car’s potential was better than the result. But we know where we didn’t perform at our best. We started from the back, and in Singapore, it’s difficult. I’m satisfied with the race execution. Good strategy, good pit stops, good pace. Everything went well in the race,” Fred Vasseur said. Regarding Sunday, Frederic Vasseur was asked if Ferrari could have tried something different with the strategy. “The Soft tire could give you at most one position at the start, but then you’d have to do what Lewis did and risk an early stop and manage. With the Medium tire, we were able to extend the stint. I think using the Medium was the right choice, but diversifying strategies between the two drivers,” the French manager confirmed, approving Maranello’s strategic team’s choice.
Now, Formula 1 will take a four-week break before returning to the track at COTA in Austin, kicking off the final stretch of this long and exciting season. Many teams are expected to bring their last update packages, which for many will also serve as the foundation for next year. Ferrari won’t hold back either, as Frederic Vasseur admitted. “Like many others, we’ll bring new parts to Austin. We’re already working on the 2025 car, but we’ll do our best to bring something for the SF-24. These will probably be the last updates for everyone,” revealed the former Renault and Alfa Romeo manager. However, he didn’t provide any additional details, keeping quiet about what Diego Tondi and his team are working on. One topic of discussion over the weekend was McLaren’s rear wing, with that “mini-DRS” effect that the FIA banned, with McLaren now adjusting their wing. “From what I understand, they won’t be using that wing anymore, so I think it’s a closed matter,” Vasseur simply stated on the issue.
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