Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur reflects on qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix
Could rain offer Ferrari an unexpected opportunity in Montreal?
Ferrari will line up on the third row of the grid for the Canadian Grand Prix after a mixed qualifying session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Lewis Hamilton secured the fifth-fastest time behind the two Mercedes and the two McLarens, while Charles Leclerc slipped backwards compared to Sprint Qualifying, dropping from sixth to eighth and finishing behind both Red Bull drivers, Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion was also placed under investigation for a potential impeding incident involving Pierre Gasly during Q1, but the stewards ultimately decided not to take any action, allowing Lewis Hamilton to keep his starting position.
Speaking after qualifying, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged that the Scuderia had the potential for a stronger result, particularly through Lewis Hamilton’s pace in the decisive final session.
“It was a very closely fought session, especially in the final phase, with Lewis in second after the first Q3 runs,” Fred Vasseur said. “Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to put everything together on the final attempt. It’s a shame because the pace was there and we could have aimed for a better result.”
Attention now turns to Sunday’s race, where changing weather conditions could completely alter the competitive picture. With rain still a possibility, Ferrari believes unpredictability could create new opportunities.
“Now the focus shifts to tomorrow, when we could be facing a very different kind of challenge,” Fred Vasseur added. “So far, we have never raced with these cars and with the new tyres in wet conditions, which means both teams and drivers will need to learn very quickly, starting already on the laps to the grid. That could make the race very open.”
If wet weather does arrive in Montreal, strategy, adaptability, and driver confidence could become far more decisive than outright pace, potentially giving Ferrari a chance to challenge more aggressively than qualifying alone might suggest.
In conclusion, Frederic Vasseur’s post-qualifying analysis highlights a Ferrari squad that remains highly realistic about its execution deficits but structurally prepared to tackle upcoming operational wild cards. While Lewis Hamilton’s inability to maximize his final Q3 run cost the team a front-row start, the baseline performance numbers prove the SF-26 package can run at the front. With the Rain Hazard protocol active and a highly unpredictable wet weather front moving over Montreal, the lack of real-world telemetry on the damp asphalt turns Sunday’s Grand Prix into a strategic blank canvas. Success for the Maranello team will depend entirely on how rapidly their engineers can optimize tire temperatures during the warm-up laps and exploit tactical pit windows as the track conditions evolve.
