From Montreal to Monte Carlo, the competitive picture has completely flipped on its head. In Canada, Fred Vasseur’s Ferrari squad left the track celebrating a somewhat unexpected second and fourth place finish, given how poorly the Montreal layout suited the technical characteristics of the car. However, the Monaco Grand Prix provided a completely different reality check. The streets of the Principality were supposed to represent the Scuderia’s absolute best chance at a blockbuster result—while they patiently await the deployment of their ADUO upgrade tokens. Instead, Lewis Hamilton’s second consecutive runner-up finish carried the bitter taste of defeat this time around, especially as it was paired with Charles Leclerc’s heavy crash and subsequent post-race controversy regarding the car’s braking system.
The notoriously tight and twisting street track is famous for masking a car’s sheer engine power deficits while simultaneously rewarding superior mechanical grip and chassis agility. Yet, when the checkered flag dropped, it was Mercedes who reigned supreme once again, courtesy of a flawless Andrea Kimi Antonelli who simply operated on another level and handed out a crushing defeat to the rest of the grid.
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur breaks his silence after medical scare
Team Principal Fred Vasseur was back on the Ferrari pit wall on Sunday, having spent the entirety of Saturday in the hospital undergoing medical checks following a minor sudden illness. Reflecting on a weekend that ultimately fell short of pre-event expectations, the Frenchman tried to look for the silver linings.
“We must remain optimistic because, overall, this was another positive weekend for us. Lewis secured his second consecutive podium and I believe he achieved the maximum that our package could offer today. In recent races we have seen him gain more confidence and feel more comfortable in the car, which is encouraging and reflects the progress we are making as a team,” Vasseur stated.
However, Fred Vasseur made no attempt to conceal his immense disappointment regarding Leclerc’s costly retirement, after the Monegasque driver smacked into the barriers shortly after the Safety Car restart.
“For Charles, obviously, it was a very frustrating result. We had brake issues all weekend and it was clear that something was not working as it should have. We will carefully analyze the situation, understand exactly what happened and make sure to resolve the problem before Barcelona. Charles was in a good position and it is disappointing to lose those points, especially in his home race.”
Looking ahead to the European summer stretch, the Ferrari chief remains focused on the internal roadmap. “We must remain focused on ourselves, keep working hard and make the most of every opportunity. The mood within the team is positive, the direction is the right one and in a few days we will have another opportunity to continue moving forward,” Vasseur concluded.
In conclusion, Fred Vasseur’s balanced post-race reflections highlight a team navigating both high-profile engineering setbacks and encouraging performance steps. While Lewis Hamilton’s adaptability in the SF-26 keeps Ferrari firmly in the trophy hunt, the technical squad faces a race against time to thoroughly diagnose their persistent braking anomalies before taking the track at the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
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