Fred Vasseur, the team boss of Scuderia Ferrari, responded strongly to the Maranello team’s critics who reacted negatively after the Hungarian Grand Prix, as the Italian side was able to show an improved performance in the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix at the 7.004-kilometre Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, where Charles Leclerc secured a podium finish and second place in the qualifying session, showcasing the Maranello team’s return to form after difficult races in Hungary and the UK.
In the races leading up to Belgium, Ferrari had only earned 13 points, leading to criticism that they were losing ground in the constructors’ championship battle for second place, especially with McLaren’s impressive comeback until the Spa event last weekend.
However, in Belgium, the Italian side demonstrated significant improvement and emerged as the second-fastest team behind Red Bull. They collected 24 points over the weekend, despite Carlos Sainz’s unfortunate retirement following his crash with the McLaren of Oscar Piastri on Sunday, which prevented Ferrari from scoring even more points. Still, the overall situation has reignited optimism for Fred Vasseur as Ferrari head into Formula 1’s summer break.
“I will stay very calm because we had the same meeting one week ago and we were at the end of the world, McLaren was flying and we were stupid – the French manager explained at the end of the Belgian Grand Prix – And so from one week to the other that McLaren is at the back today and we are at the front, bla bla bla. We have to stay calm, take it easy race after race but we know that the pack is so tight that for one or two tenths can move you from P2 to P11.” – the Ferrari boss added.
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Throughout the entire 2023 Formula One season, the grid has displayed an astonishing level of unpredictability, except of course for Red Bull’s consistent dominance. Aston Martin, initially positioned well at the beginning of the championship, now appears to be trailing behind McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes in terms of speed as they head into the break. Frederic Vasseur emphasized the necessity for his team to attain consistency in order to gain a deeper understanding of their challenges for the second half of the year:
“We are all a bit inconsistent because there is just one or two tenths between P2 and P11. It means characteristics, tyre management or level of downforce you chose at the beginning of the weekend, you can’t draw any definitive conclusions. I think it will be like this until the end of the season. We have to be more consistent to understand why we are weak.” – he continued.
In 2023, Ferrari has frequently secured positions in the top five but has yet to display the consistent performance of genuine frontrunners, trailing behind Red Bull.
Nonetheless, there is optimism that Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps might mark a turning point for the Italian side, as they head into the summer break with less than 60 points separating them from Mercedes in the 2023 Formula 1 constructors’ championship: “It’s not the end of the season. We have a lot to do, but today it’s good to finish the first part of the season on a positive tone, we will have the two weeks off with a positive rise in mind.” – Fred Vasseur concluded.
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