Frederic Vasseur praises Ferrari’s progress over the past 12 months: the Scuderia from Maranello has 117 more points compared to 2023.
Ferrari, Fred Vasseur highlights the progress made
Last winter, Ferrari’s goal was to close the gap with Red Bull. In 2023, the Scuderia was light years behind the unbeatable RB19, but over the months, the gap has narrowed. However, in Formula 1, gains are relative: even if you improve by a second in absolute terms, you can still be behind someone who finds a second and a half per lap. This is what happened this year, with McLaren making a significant leap in performance since Miami (and now being the benchmark on the grid) and Mercedes getting back on track since Monaco.
It was right after the splendid victory secured by Charles Leclerc on the streets of Monte Carlo in Monaco that Ferrari seemed to feel the impact, unable to respond to the growth of its rivals. The SF-24 has reencountered the porpoising issue—temporarily addressed but only to be fully resolved after the summer break—and is currently the fourth strongest team on the grid. Nevertheless, team principal Frederic Vasseur is proud of the progress made over the past 12 months.
Frederic Vasseur’s comments
“I believe that in the first part of the season, up until China, Red Bull was flying. Then there was a good sequence between us, McLaren, and Mercedes. I think everyone did a similar job; it’s not often that at this point in the year, there are four teams capable of winning the championship,” said the Frenchman. “I’m not a big fan of statistics, but we have about 60% more points than a year ago after 12 races, reducing the gap to Red Bull by 300%.” – the French manager pointed out.
The numbers Frederic Vasseur refers to are based on the 12th race (in 2023, the summer break came after 12 GPs). Last year, Ferrari had 191 points, while after Silverstone in 2024, they had 302. Currently, Ferrari has 117 more points than after the 14th race in 2023 (Monza): 345 compared to 228. But the point is that McLaren has done even better, going from 115 to 366 points, a gain of over 200%. And more importantly, in Woking, they now have the momentum to challenge the Max Verstappen – Red Bull duo.
