Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has warned that it would be a “mistake” for the team to focus on a single area for improvement as they prepare for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The Italian manufacturer began the season on a strong note, with the revamped SF-24 delivering two wins and nine podium finishes in the opening eight races. These early successes raised hopes for a competitive campaign.
However, Ferrari’s progress faltered mid-season when an upgrade package introduced in Spain worsened the car’s bouncing issues. This setback allowed McLaren to overtake Ferrari as Red Bull’s closest competitor.
By Monza and Singapore, Ferrari had implemented solutions to address these issues, leading to a strong comeback. The team claimed three victories in the final nine races, achieving its highest points tally of the season. Despite this resurgence, the recovery came too late to change the championship outcome. Lando Norris’ victory at the season finale in Abu Dhabi secured the Constructors’ Championship for McLaren, extending Ferrari’s title drought, which has persisted since 2008.
Frederic Vasseur, however, took encouragement from Ferrari’s ability to bounce back from a challenging mid-season period. He expressed optimism about the team’s direction and highlighted the lessons learned from their struggles and subsequent recovery.
When asked what gives him confidence in the competitiveness of Ferrari’s 2025 car, Frederic Vasseur shared his perspective with the media: “It’s not the performance of this car, because next year it’s a new project so we’ll do a decent step forward and I’m quite pleased with the job done at the factory. But what is giving me confidence is more the step that we did compared to one year ago, the capacity that we had to react in the tough moment of the season, because it’s where you can see that the team is working as a team.” – the French manager pointed out.
“When you are winning, everybody is nice, everybody is a best friend and I would say that these kind of weekends are quite easy to manage. It’s when you are in the tough moment that the reaction is important and we reacted each time very, very well. In June we came back as soon as possible with solutions, everybody was pushing in the same direction. I’m quite also pleased with the reaction of the drivers who had a tough weekend in Vegas and they reacted very, very, very well and I think it’s why we were so performant this weekend.” – the Ferrari team boss continued.
Ferrari focused on comprehensive improvements
Although Ferrari finished just 14 points adrift of McLaren, Frederic Vasseur remains resolute that the team must target advancements across every aspect of its operation to compete for top honors once again in 2025.
When asked about Ferrari’s primary focus over the winter, Frederic Vasseur emphasized that it would be misguided to single out any one area for improvement. The French manager stressed the importance of concentrating on all aspects of performance, noting that success requires attention to every “pillar” of the team’s operation.
Fred Vasseur highlighted the necessity of enhancing reliability across all components of the car, making it clear that improvements were needed everywhere. However, he refrained from singling out specific departments or individuals, stating that the entire organization must strive to perform better across the board.
He described this approach not as a criticism but as a fundamental mindset required in Formula 1. According to Fred Vasseur, the team must consistently aim to improve day by day, focusing on incremental gains that could ultimately make a significant difference. He underlined this philosophy as central to the DNA of the sport, warning that failure to adopt such a mentality would leave the team at a standstill.
Fred Vasseur also reaffirmed his commitment to motivating all Ferrari employees, urging them to see themselves as contributors to the team’s overall performance. He insisted that every individual, regardless of their role, must work to outperform their 2024 efforts to help Ferrari return to the top.
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