Fred Vasseur points to Ferrari’s execution errors in crucial Baku moment after costly F1 weekend. Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur analyzed the Azerbaijan GP in Baku.

Fred Vasseur blames Ferrari’s struggles on qualifying execution

Ferrari returned from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku with just an eighth and ninth place finish, a result that cost the Scuderia second place in the Constructors’ standings to Mercedes. Yet, according to team principal Frédéric Vasseur, the outcome was not determined on Sunday but rather by poor execution during qualifying. After a promising start on Friday, when the SF-25 looked competitive, Ferrari failed to capitalize when it mattered most, leaving potential podium results out of reach.

A race compromised by Saturday

Reflecting on the weekend, Fred Vasseur explained that Ferrari’s preparation during free practice was strong and that race pace had been solid. The real turning point came in qualifying. He pointed out that Lando Norris, who started just ahead of the Ferraris, finished the race in front of Lewis Hamilton, underlining how difficult overtaking was in Baku. Much like Monza, the smaller rear wings reduce the DRS effect, making it nearly impossible to recover positions once trapped in a midfield train.

“If we lost something, it was on Saturday, not Sunday,” Fred Vasseur summarized. Ferrari’s drivers had the pace to fight near the front in practice, but qualifying left them only 10th and 12th on the grid. In hindsight, he admitted it was easy to question both driver mistakes and strategic calls, but the lost opportunity stemmed from decisions made in Q2.

The tire choice dilemma

One of the key factors, Fred Vasseur revealed, was tire selection. On Friday, the medium compound seemed to be the quicker option, but as conditions changed on Saturday, most teams switched to the soft. Fred Vasseur noted that this assumption may have been misleading since few teams had properly tested the medium in those conditions. The Frenchman suggested that the medium might have been stronger over multiple laps, but qualifying only allows for a single push lap.

He highlighted how Carlos Sainz managed to perform well on a used set of tires, underlining the importance of execution. “Friday was by far our best of the season,” Fred Vasseur said. “Both cars were competitive on short runs, but the situation changed as conditions evolved. Clearly, Mercedes and Red Bull performed better in cooler conditions, while Ferrari and McLaren were stronger in the heat. In hindsight, I’m not sure I would completely change our approach, but execution let us down.” – the French manager pointed out.

Execution issues overshadow Hamilton’s progress

There were some positives to take away, particularly the improved adaptation of Lewis Hamilton to the SF-25. The seven-time world champion showed strong pace in practice and looked competitive in Q1. However, his Q2 laps lacked rhythm, and that ultimately condemned him to 12th on the grid. Fred Vasseur believed that if Lewis Hamilton had started on the front row, he could have fought for a podium finish.

Still, the Ferrari boss recognized Lewis Hamilton’s progress as encouraging. “The last two weekends show that Lewis had the pace, and we are getting closer,” Fred Vasseur said. “But having potential is not the same as delivering results. The issue is execution, and as a team, we must do a better job collectively. Twelfth place is not what we expect, and the key to unlocking our results is managing the weekend correctly.”