Following a strong performance in the Qatar Grand Prix at the 5.419-kilometre Lusail International Circuit, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur revealed that the Maranello team’s technicians and engineers had instructed Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to prioritize tire management in the early stages of the race to maximize the length of their first stint on medium tires..
Ferrari had anticipated a challenging weekend at the Lusail International Circuit, given its characteristics were expected to expose weaknesses in the SF24. Despite setbacks in the 19-lap sprint race, Charles Leclerc capitalized on a late ten-second stop-and-go penalty for Lando Norris, clinching an impressive second-place finish.
Carlos Sainz initially matched Charles Leclerc’s pace but began to fall back once the Monegasque driver increased his speed. His race took a turn for the worse when debris from a rear-view mirror struck by Valtteri Bottas caused a puncture. The incident forced Carlos Sainz into a slow trip back to the pits, costing him crucial time.
Although a second safety car gave Carlos Sainz the chance to close the gap to the leaders, he ultimately finished in sixth place, unable to overtake Pierre Gasly’s Alpine. Reflecting on the weekend, Frederic Vasseur expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall performance but lamented the misfortune that limited Carlos Sainz’s results. The Ferrari team boss noted that without the puncture, the Italian side could have secured an even stronger outcome in the penultimate round of the 2024 Formula 1 campaign.
“The race today was a bit chaotic, but overall, it was a good one for us: we executed it well, the pace was there and I’m very pleased with the job we did today. It was in our plan that the drivers would not push too hard for the first laps in order to push more later on and we were confident we had the pace on the Hard to push until the end.” – the French manager pointed out – “We have some regrets, such as Carlos’ puncture which came at the very worst place, as he had to drive a full lap before pitting and it cost us one or two positions.” – he added at the end of the Qatar Grand Prix.
Despite the McLaren MCL38 cars showcasing superior pace compared to the Ferrari SF24 at the Qatar Grand Prix, the Maranello team succeeded in narrowing the deficit in the Constructors’ Championship to just 21 points ahead of the final round of the 2024 Formula 1 campaign. Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur expressed cautious optimism following the event, emphasizing the importance of consistency and strategic execution as the season edges closer to its conclusion: “The most important thing today is that we scored more points than McLaren. We are now 21 points behind, with one race to go which means everything is possible. We have also increased our lead over Red Bull, which means in Abu Dhabi we can focus more on the team in front of us. Now we go to Abu Dhabi, which on paper, should be a better circuit for us and with Max and Mercedes on the pace, you never know what could happen in the championship battle. We will push flat out to the final chequered flag.” – the French manager added.
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