Scuderia Ferrari had a disastrous weekend at the 4.361-kilometre Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal. To put it bluntly: the fans of the Maranello team can accept hearing everything from team principal Frederic Vasseur except the words “we need to understand.” A repeated and recurring statement heard from the previous management during Formula 1 seasons that have brought few satisfactions for the Tifosi. In the disastrous Canadian Grand Prix, the Italian side showed its worst version in this first part of the championship. It is almost impossible to find anything positive in the Montreal weekend. It’s as if the work group was taken aback by a performance worthy of the ill-fated SF1000.
As it should be, Frederic Vasseur hopes that the various difficulties which can appear in a race during such a long season have manifested all together on North American soil, with both drivers failing to enter Q3 in Saturday’s qualifying session, before recording a double retirement in the Sunday race at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. This was very painful, considering the impact on the world championship rankings, particularly that of the constructors, as Ferrari genuinely feels it can challenge Red Bull, who is only relying on Max Verstappen and has to deal with the poor performances of his Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez. Despite the two drivers of the Prancing Horse reporting a lack of grip since the final free practice session in Montreal, the French manager admits that the Maranello team was still confident they could straighten out the situation and would secure a decent result in the Canadian Grand Prix.
According to the French manager, the pace of the reds on Friday was promising. Nevertheless, it must be said that on the first day of free practice, the track activity was so scarce that it could not provide real certainties except compared to simulations. Perhaps this was precisely the problem, not having a factual feedback that could have triggered the alarm to review the entire setup that had been identified in Maranello during the week leading to the Canadian Grand Prix. An action that would most likely have changed Ferrari’s fortunes and given Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc the chance to fight at the top against Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes without problems.
F1, Ferrari: the most difficult weekend of the Fred Vasseur management
Although for the always cheerful Fred Vasseur, 2024 represents his first real Formula 1 season at the top of the Ferrari Racing Department, keeping in mind the last racing campaign, despite an inherited and uncompetitive project, the Frenchman had never witnessed such a disheartening performance from his side. Despite everything seeming to go against them, Frederic Vasseur stressed that the Canadian setback will not change the Maranello team’s new approach. A mentality through which one must not be afraid to take risks in order to raise the bar. Obviously, a good manager cannot remain insensitive to the discouragement of his men.
Charles Leclerc, for example, went in the span of a week from the exhilarating celebrations following the splendid race win in the Monaco Grand Prix to the dust and disappointment of Montreal. The head of the Ferrari Racing Department clearly understands the frustration of a driver forced to race with serious technical problems that made it impossible to fight against the competition. He considers it a more than legitimate feeling that confirms his mentality. The double technical retirement of the SF-24 cars is significant in the economy of a Formula 1 championship that seems open to any scenario. However, the Ferrari team boss maintains that such circumstances are part of the normal dynamics of a very long season.
Fred Vasseur referred to Red Bull’s difficult weekend seen in Monaco, as evidence that the balance of power could change within any weekend. There are still 15 races to go, during which further difficulties will knock on the door of all teams. For this reason, the priority remains to maintain the same approach and, at the same time, continue to develop the car and solve the headaches. Ferrari were not world champions after a good weekend in Monaco, and are not the worst of the bunch after a difficult weekend in Montreal, as pointed out by the Frenchman, who remained confident the Italian side will return with great pace for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
One of Frederic Vasseur’s fundamental targets is to shield the Italian team from the mood swings of the fans, that we know are amplified also by the media, which are certainly read within the Ferrari Racing Division. Having the ability to temper enthusiasm for partial successes and, conversely, avoid unnecessary depressions when results do not meet expectations, remains the best thing to do. This reasoning certainly cannot make one forget that the Canadian weekend went well beyond the worst expectations of the Ferrari engineers, technicians and drivers.
For the first time since taking the helm at Ferrari, the Frenchman is asked to make a strong effort to demonstrate that Montreal is just an isolated episode. The need to regain the competitiveness appreciated at the Imola circuit in Italy and then in Monaco is paramount. The Spanish Grand Prix, the next round of the Formula 1 championship, is certainly a significant test of the real value of the SF-24 compared to its rivals. A weekend at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona where the red team will try to fight again for the race victory, without fear, aware that the balance of power is currently very delicate between the top teams and it takes very little to change things.
Source: FUnoanalisitecnica
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