Scuderia Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has sought to temper expectations regarding the Italian team’s prospects of consistently running at the front in the second half of the 2025 Formula 1 season. His comments come in response to recent remarks from McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, who suggested that Ferrari would remain a serious contender for race victories for the remainder of the campaign.
Stella’s statement followed Charles Leclerc’s impressive showing at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where the Ferrari driver led for a significant portion of the race after securing pole position. However, Charles Leclerc’s pace declined in the closing stages, ultimately resulting in a fourth-place finish at the chequered flag. Ferrari is still chasing its first grand prix victory of the season, making it the only team within the current top four of the championship standings yet to claim a win.
While the season has fallen short of the team’s pre-season ambitions, Fred Vasseur acknowledged that Ferrari has demonstrated signs of progress over recent events. Speaking to media outlets, Fred Vasseur indicated that the team is gradually regaining competitiveness, even if consistent results remain a challenge.
Fred Vasseur explained that predicting performance is particularly difficult in Formula 1, as a strong showing in one race does not necessarily guarantee similar results in the following weekend. He highlighted that the recent outings in Spa-Francorchamps and Hungary have shown encouraging pace, particularly in tyre management and race consistency, which are essential for staying competitive against rivals.
However, the French manager suggested that the Italian side is still limited by inconsistencies in pace across an entire grand prix weekend. Unlike McLaren, which has displayed stable performance under various conditions, Ferrari’s competitiveness can fluctuate depending on factors such as track temperature, tyre degradation, and setup adjustments.
The Ferrari team principal further elaborated that winning requires seamless performance throughout all sessions of a race weekend. From free practice to qualifying and ultimately managing race compounds, a team must maintain stability in all conditions to be able to challenge consistently for victories. Fred Vasseur acknowledged that while Ferrari is making progress, their rivals currently maintain a slight advantage in overall performance.
Fred Vasseur concluded by noting that the team’s recent improvements are encouraging, but emphasized that Ferrari must continue refining its operations to achieve the level of consistency required to fight regularly at the front. The focus remains on ensuring that every session, from FP1 through Q3, contributes effectively to race preparation, with the ultimate goal of closing the gap to their competitors and eventually securing that elusive first grand prix win of the season.
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