“Just seven days ago, we were here saying that McLaren was flying while we were in a difficult situation. Today, we’re on the podium, and McLaren is behind, so I think we should firmly keep our feet on the ground, work calmly, and take it race by race. Behind the Red Bulls, the competition is so tight that two tenths can make the difference between second and tenth place,” Frederic Vasseur commented on Charles Leclerc’s third-place finish at the 7.004-kilometre Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot. This result confirmed Ferrari as the second force on a track that didn’t seem to be the ideal hunting ground for the SF-23.
It’s an important podium for the Monegasque, achieved after a complicated weekend, racing without the usual references from free practices and with changing track conditions, going from full-wet to intermediates and slick tires. In fact, the teams raced with the basic setup resulting from the preparatory work done back at the factory before the trip. For Ferrari, the compromise required by the Spa circuit was well-adjusted.
Charles Leclerc confirmed good top speed and an equally strong pace in the feared second sector. Before the start of the Belgian Grand Prix, it was quite clear that Ferrari hoped for a dry race, a condition that would have ruled McLaren out of the battle (as it happened). However, the tire management remained a question mark.
Charles Leclerc, though, had no problems. He started with a set of soft tires, switched to mediums on lap 13, and concluded with a second set of softs mounted on the twenty-eighth lap. The same strategy was chosen by all direct competitors, and this time, Ferrari did not encounter any issues.
“I don’t think it’s a tire management issue at all,” Fred Vasseur explained. “When you have pace, you don’t always have to push to the maximum, and you can manage the tires. When the race pace isn’t good, you end up pushing too hard to keep up with the opponents, and you become too aggressive with the tires.” In the final stages, Charles Leclerc eased off a bit, but it was a precautionary choice to avoid consumption problems.
Before the summer break, Ferrari closed the gap to five points behind Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship, while the difference with Mercedes remains at 56 points. In the race assessment, Carlos Sainz missed out on points, compromising his concrete chances of having a good race at the feared braking point of the first corner after the start, due to a contact with Oscar Piastri.
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“I believe Oscar was very optimistic, as he wasn’t even beside me when he attempted that maneuver, which here at Spa is always a risky move,” commented the Spaniard. There were no investigations, and the incident was classified as a racing accident, but the Ferrari driver has more to regret, arriving at the braking point with locked wheels, losing control of the car. Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is known for providing excellent overtaking opportunities, but taking risks at the first corner is not a good idea, especially when the scenario promises a chance to do well.
Carlos Sainz suffered damage that greatly affected his race pace and gradually lost ground, slipping back until the team called him into the pits to retire the car on the twenty-third lap:
“We kept Carlos on track hoping that rain would lead to a race suspension with a red flag,” revealed Fred Vasseur. “In that case, we would have had the opportunity to work on the car. But in reality, only light rain came, and at that point, we retired the car.” – the French manager explained.
After the summer break, the calendar will resume with a tour de force of three Grand Prix in four weeks. The fluctuating results make it difficult to predict a stable hierarchy behind Red Bull, and it is even harder to determine the objectives this Ferrari can aim for in the remaining ten races.
“This first half of the season has seen many ups and downs, but today I saw a good reaction compared to the last races, which didn’t go as we would have wanted. We are starting to have a clearer picture of the situation, knowing where we are weak and what our strengths are, but I won’t go into detail. However, I can say that the overall picture is much clearer now compared to a few races ago.” – he concluded.
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