Fred Vasseur: “I underestimated the mental impact of stopping SF-25 development so early”. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur admitted he underestimated the psychological impact of halting SF-25 development early.

The French team principal opened up about the frustration within Ferrari after stopping SF-25 development too early in the season.

Positive signs for Ferrari in qualifying

During qualifying for the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Ferrari showed noticeable progress compared to Friday’s sessions. Charles Leclerc secured third place, while Lewis Hamilton took fifth, giving the Scuderia a solid result. Although the pole position was nearly three-tenths out of reach, the improvement was clear after a disappointing Sprint Qualifying that ended with Charles Leclerc in eighth and the Briton in tenth.

Vasseur’s comments on Canal+

Speaking to Canal+, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur gave a mixed assessment of the session. “Satisfied? Yes and no. We’ve improved compared to the last few races, which is good, but I also feel that we could have done better — we were very close. Now the race is long. Last year, we started from third and fifth and managed a one-two finish. Everything is possible, but there’s still a bit of frustration,” he explained.

The French manager emphasized that race strategy will be key if Ferrari wants to move further forward on Sunday. “Usually, our race pace is slightly better than in qualifying, and that should help us. But at the same time, it’s not guaranteed, because when you’re following another car, overtaking becomes very difficult. With strategy, we’ll have a chance to fight for something during the pit stop phase, but it won’t be easy,” he noted.

Vasseur admits underestimating the psychological effect

The French manager made a remarkably honest admission when discussing the morale within the Scuderia and the consequences of his own decisions. “The goal from now until the end of the season is to win a race, but above all to finish second in the championship, even if Mercedes still has a small advantage,” he said.

Fred Vasseur continued: “The situation is a bit frustrating because we stopped developing the current car very early, and maybe I underestimated the psychological aspect of going through 17 races without any updates. It’s been tough for the team, and today’s result is positive because it gives us a little boost,” he concluded.