The drastic shift in Ferrari’s competitiveness, strategy, and Hamilton & Leclerc’s races: Vasseur reviews the Austin GP
On Friday, the Sprint Qualifying results hinted at a repeat of the Singapore GP or potentially an even worse scenario. The SF-25 did not appear competitive, struggling amid midfield battles, even finishing behind a Williams while Carlos Sainz reached the podium in the Sprint Race. However, the changes implemented after the mini-race had highly positive effects, and both Qualifying and the Grand Prix showcased a livelier Ferrari. Charles Leclerc was able to fight almost the entire race with Lando Norris, despite the McLaren being faster, thanks to an aggressive strategy and the Monegasque driver’s flawless performance. Fred Vasseur explained, “Starting on Soft tyres was a gamble, but everything was under control. We weren’t sure if others would go Medium-Hard or Medium-Soft, and we definitely excluded Medium-Hard by starting on Soft. The plan was to be P1 on the first lap, and even if we didn’t fully achieve that, the strategy worked. It was the best option for us.”
After the race, Fred Vasseur immediately praised Leclerc’s performance: “He delighted us with an incredible defense against Lando. He had a solid weekend and drove aggressively, very well. I am very happy for him and the team.” There is a clear sense of pride in the work the team accomplished over the weekend, turning around a situation that could have caused frustration. From Friday to Saturday, Ferrari’s performance improved significantly, especially in Qualifying. Fred Vasseur noted, “It’s true for us, Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull. I don’t know if they lost anything, but we certainly gained, especially when compared to Williams.”
The Ferrari team boss emphasized that the improvement is not just about the car’s potential but about the package as a whole and tyre management. “It has been difficult for everyone to get the tyres into the correct operating window, and that’s been the case since the start of the season. It may be more noticeable with us because a mistake can drop us to P10, whereas McLaren or Red Bull can stay in P2-P3.” The Frenchman repeatedly highlighted the excellent work done during the weekend and Ferrari’s gradual improvement throughout the sessions.
A race to decode for Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton’s race was a bit harder to interpret, though the post-race explanation clarified the final laps. Fred Vasseur explained, “Lewis had a good pace from the start of the weekend, something we’ve seen consistently in recent races. Here, he probably missed a lap in Q3, but we are managing to improve and put everything together.” Hamilton struggled to keep up with his teammate in the second half of the race, after a strong first stint on Medium tyres. Fred Vasseur added, “The Soft tyres were a challenge; even Lando had to manage them before pushing again. It was uncertain whether Lewis could do the full stint, as no long-run testing was possible before the race. We were conservative at first, but the pace at the end was good.”
During the press conference, there was still no clear explanation for Hamilton’s late-race drop. Lewis confirmed in interviews that Leclerc’s strategy was the better choice, losing significant ground in the second stint and experiencing an issue on the last lap from turn 5 onwards, possibly linked to a tyre problem. Oscar Piastri and George Russell had closed the gap, and with one more lap, Hamilton risked losing positions or worse consequences.
The battle for second place in the championship intensifies
“Three teams are within 10 points,” Fred Vasseur commented. “Max is scoring crucial points at every race, but the key for us is to have two cars consistently in the points and fast. This is an advantage for Ferrari, and we must capitalize on it. We have to push until the last lap in Abu Dhabi. Even though our focus is already on 2026, we want to finish second in the championship.”
The podium in Austin provided a boost for Ferrari, setting a positive trend to carry into Mexico. Alongside a strong weekend, encouraging words from John Elkann and Benedetto Vigna also helped the team’s morale. the French manager added, “It’s positive to read these messages, not so much for those of us inside the team, as we have daily communication, but for the outside world. These words stop speculation and prevent me from answering all the questions about the future.” – the Ferrari team boss concluded.
