Ferrari secures its first podium of the season
Ferrari’s group principal, Frederic Vasseur, can lastly crack a faint smile even on a Sunday night. After the stress brought on by disappointing qualifying performances and the enjoyment from the Chinese language Dash instantly lower quick by the double disqualification in Shanghai, the Scuderia was again to racing quick. And it confirmed in Jeddah, albeit with solely one of many two SF-25s, the one within the palms of a rare Charles Leclerc, who managed the tyres nicely and completely executed the technique devised for him by the pit wall.
Ferrari, Frederic Vasseur speaks
“It’s clear,” mentioned Ferrari group principal Frederic Vasseur to Sky after the race, “that this weekend if we’re not one or two steps forward, it’s due to qualifying, as a result of the race tempo was superb. Charles was a bit conservative at the beginning, being within the soiled air, as a result of he knew we needed to increase the primary stint, and he did very nicely by way of administration. Then, the tempo from lap ten to the top I feel was even higher than Verstappen’s and Piastri’s, however that’s the way it went, and we’ll have to attempt to be extra constant all through the weekend and in all classes, particularly qualifying, so we are able to do a greater job and begin in a greater place.”
The Maranello pit wall boss denied that the group is being carried solely by Charles’ ardour:
“Leclerc retains the Ferrari dream alive? No, it’s not about saving the dream or something like that. We have to work collectively as a group to push, to maintain creating, to maintain enhancing. Clearly, we have now weaknesses and I’m pondering primarily about qualifying as a result of the race tempo is at all times a bit higher, however it’s at all times a group effort. It’s not only one particular person saving the others, neither is it the group pushing Charles. We’re all in the identical boat.”
The issue is (not) within the gradual corners
The Ferrari boss additionally spoke in regards to the difficulties in flip 1 seen in qualifying after which gone within the race:
“We don’t have points in gradual corners, as a result of the tempo was constant all through the lap and in each sort of nook. If yesterday we struggled enormously within the first chicane, right now we had been in all probability the quickest on observe in turns 1-2. This can be a good lesson and we’ll have to debate with Charles what we did in another way in comparison with yesterday. In these conditions, tyre preparation is essential, however we’re nonetheless missing some efficiency on the flying lap. The whole lot counts in the long run, it’s not only one element. There’s no magic wand that provides you these three tenths.”
“Efficiency,” he continued, “by no means comes from only one pillar, however a bit from every little thing. It was our angle final yr and it paid off as a result of we had been very far behind at the start after which we caught up. We have to hold the identical method and I’m positive this podium will assist us in that sense. We’ve got a factors deficit in comparison with McLaren, it’s important. And clearly, we needed to be in a greater state of affairs, however we glance forward. Let’s deal with the following races, on persevering with to work and push as a bunch, and the consequence will come. Do I nonetheless take into consideration the championship? No, I’m occupied with Miami and I don’t assume it’s a mistake to take action, as a result of we all know the automotive nonetheless has some weaknesses.”
Ferrari, is Fred Vasseur criticising Hamilton?
There was additionally a comment about Lewis Hamilton, who completed seventh and over 30 seconds behind Charles Leclerc:
“It was powerful right now, he struggled even when in the long run he had a good second stint. However then, when he was in soiled air, it acquired extra sophisticated. General he’s been having too many ups and downs thus far. We’re having ups and downs, however he’s additionally having some ups and downs. We must be extra constant as a group, we have to do a greater job even in FP3 to organize for qualifying. I feel that’s the primary situation, we must be on it in each session and never only for 25 laps within the race or two in qualifying.”
“Miami? It will likely be fairly troublesome as a result of there’s additionally the Dash. We’ll solely have one hour of follow, so I’m unsure it is sensible to deliver updates. We’ll in all probability deliver one thing new for Imola, as a result of Miami will probably be sophisticated,” concluded Ferrari group principal Frederic Vasseur.
Purchase official Ferrari F1 merchandise!
Let different Scuderia Followers find out about us
