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 strain attributable to disappointing qualifying performances and the enjoyment from the Chinese language Dash instantly lower brief 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 fingers of a unprecedented Charles Leclerc, who managed the tyres properly and completely executed the technique devised for him by the pit wall.
Ferrari, Frederic Vasseur speaks
“It’s clear,” stated 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 excellent. Charles was a bit conservative firstly, being within the soiled air, as a result of he knew we wished to increase the primary stint, and he did very properly by way of administration. Then, the tempo from lap ten to the tip I believe 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 periods, 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 bettering. Clearly, we’ve got weaknesses and I’m considering primarily about qualifying as a result of the race tempo is all the time a bit higher, however it’s all the time a group effort. It’s not only one individual saving the others, neither is it the group pushing Charles. We’re all in the identical boat.”
The issue is (not) within the sluggish 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 sluggish 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, at this time we have been most likely 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 otherwise in comparison with yesterday. In these conditions, tyre preparation is essential, however we’re nonetheless missing some efficiency on the flying lap. Every part counts ultimately, it’s not only one element. There’s no magic wand that offers you these three tenths.”
“Efficiency,” he continued, “by no means comes from only one pillar, however a bit from every part. It was our angle final 12 months and it paid off as a result of we have been very far behind originally after which we caught up. We have to hold the identical strategy and I’m positive this podium will assist us in that sense. We’ve got a factors deficit in comparison with McLaren, it’s vital. And clearly, we wished 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 end result will come. Do I nonetheless take into consideration the championship? No, I’m fascinated by 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 at this time, he struggled even when ultimately he had an honest second stint. However then, when he was in soiled air, it acquired extra sophisticated. Total 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 have to be extra constant as a group, we have to do a greater job even in FP3 to arrange for qualifying. I believe that’s the primary concern, we have to be on it in each session and never only for 25 laps within the race or two in qualifying.”
“Miami? It is going to 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 carry updates. We’ll most likely carry one thing new for Imola, as a result of Miami might be sophisticated,” concluded Ferrari group principal Frederic Vasseur.