Excitement is at an all-time high in Maranello after Charles Leclerc’s victory in Monte Carlo. With this success, Ferrari has closed the gap with Red Bull in both championship standings, with the world champions now also closer in terms of performance. Frederic Vasseur outlines the path for Ferrari in anticipation of a three-way battle with Red Bull and McLaren, while deflecting attention from the world title.
Updates: The Status
The recent races have shown a general balance between Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren, a scenario Fred Vasseur believes to be representative: “In Monaco, Imola, and Miami, there were different designs and surfaces, yet we were all within a tenth. I’m not saying we dominated in Monte Carlo, but overall, we, McLaren, and Red Bull are within a tenth. It also depends on each car’s potential, the type of tire, and the asphalt. The last three races reflect the current situation. Canada will be a bit different because it has unique features like slow corners, high curbs, and high top speeds. But I would say we have positive feelings ahead of Montreal.”
Development will be crucial to breaking such a balance, but Fred Vasseur urges caution: “We brought the last package a week ago. It’s too soon to talk about new updates. But we are definitely developing and will bring something new as soon as possible, but it must be for a good reason. The gain must be justifiable.”
“With the budget cap, you need to find a balance. Developments are introduced when there’s something to bring. Performances are converging, so the development pace is much slower. Every time a development is introduced, the gains are less than they were two years ago. Additionally, the consequences of each update on the setup are becoming increasingly important. The arrival of new parts also depends on the race sequence. For example, at Sprint events, it’s difficult to work on the setup in just one practice session. Updates depend not only on production but also on the characteristics of the tracks, and this dictates the development pace. We are working in the wind tunnel, and as soon as there is a significant gain, we will bring it to the track as soon as possible.”
Priority to the Race
The upcoming updates will continue with the new approach, which, compared to the past, sees the team’s work focused more on the race rather than on the single lap. This philosophy affects both the design and the setup. “We are much more focused on the race from the start of the weekend, conducting long stint simulations during the first practice sessions and shifting attention to the race approach,” explains Fred Vasseur.
“Obviously, this somewhat comes at the expense of qualifying because you can’t do everything. I wouldn’t call it a change in mentality, but rather a response to last year. It also depends on the circumstances of last season. Last year, it was evident that the gap between us and Red Bull was much wider in the race than in qualifying. Except for a couple of occasions like Budapest, Monaco, and Singapore, where pole position is more important, the performance delay in the race cost us many points.”
Mindset More Important than the Title
Although Fred Vasseur seems convinced of the balanced values with Red Bull and McLaren, the work at Maranello continues without being influenced by the world title: “More than setting a goal, for me, it’s more a matter of approach. I want improvement in every single area: strategy, pit stops, development, production… This is the mentality, and the results are a natural consequence.” – the Ferrari boss continued.
“Thinking long-term about the future could be a mistake. We have an exciting championship with three teams fighting and six cars capable of contending for pole position. We know that from one weekend to the next, you can go from first to sixth, as demonstrated byMax Verstappen’s last Grand Prix. Thinking about the championship would be a mistake. We need to focus on the next race, on development, and on doing the best with what we have.” – the French manager pointed out.
“We won’t change our approach after the good results in Melbourne and Monaco,” continues Frederic Vasseur. “We respect the plan, we are developing the car, and we are improving step by step. It is not because of a positive or negative result that we should change; stability is important. We must continue as we are doing because I am convinced that we are going in the right direction.”
A mantra of constant improvement regardless of goals, repeated by Frederic Vasseur since his arrival at Maranello. This concept was reiterated to employees in a celebratory meeting after the victory in Monaco: “I always insist on the same message. Everyone in the company is a key factor in performance. Everyone has a role, not just the head of aerodynamics. Performance is a collective result, from design to production. I also told them that they are responsible for a bad result but also for a trophy because it is the fruit of their work.”
The head of Ferrari seems entirely focused on the present while keeping an eye on the future. 2025 will be the year of Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Maranello, creating a potentially counterproductive two-pronged line-up for an assault on the drivers’ title. However, Fred Vasseur does not share this view: “We want to score more points with two drivers rather than one and a half. It’s something positive. If we are getting good results today, it is also because there is a certain emulation between Carlos and Charles, with the two pushing each other. When one achieves results, it spurs the other on. I am convinced that having two strong drivers is better than the opposite; it is a greater potential for points.”
Another highly anticipated arrival at Ferrari for next season is Adrian Newey, recently linked to the team. The Team Principal neither confirms nor denies the rumors, using them to emphasize the group’s priority over the individual: “No comment. Any answer could be interpreted. The most important thing is the stability of the team, even more so than the individuals,” concludes Fred Vasseur.
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