Vasseur optimistic after Ferrari qualifying
Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix gave a fairly clear response: Red Bull, especially with Max Verstappen, is in front, Ferrari is chasing along with Aston Martin and Mercedes. And since the tests and free practice provided better feedback on the flying lap than on the race pace, it is understandable how the Scuderia from Maranello concentrated more on Sunday than on Saturday. This explains the saving of a set of softs for Charles Leclerc, who got off the SF-23 after the first (and only) assault on pole on the Sakhir circuit: a strategy, as underlined by team principal Frederic Vasseur, studied precisely in view of the GP extension.
Vasseur’s words
“Qualifying went smoothly and went quite well. We didn’t know before qualifying exactly what the ranking was between the teams due to fuel load or engine setting. Nobody had a clear picture, but we were first in Q1 and Q2, then we had a fight with Max in the first stint and we decided with Charles to keep a set of soft tires for tomorrow and I think it is a right choice. Carlos was a little more on the limit, and in the first stint we used the second tire, but it’s still a good position, on the second row“, these are the words of the team principal of Maranello a Sky Sports F1. “We know that points are taken on Sunday, the championship is not won with poles and it is therefore important to prepare for the GP. We saw that a new set of tires can be used in Bahrain, we wouldn’t do the same in Monaco, so we focus on the race and the team did a good job“.
Strategy at the table
“Clearly it’s not easy to tell drivers to sacrifice the fight for pole, but we had discussed it before and knew there could be this kind of situation, but we chose with Charles and with the team. I have some expectations for tomorrow, although it’s hard to know because you don’t know the fuel levels of the others or the engine maps. We know that in the past we have suffered from degradation and for this reason we have decided to be more careful with a new set, but the season will not end tomorrow night and we must maintain the same approach, keeping our concentration and trying to do better“, continued the Frenchman. “In the winter tests, the big problem was linked to the temperatures between the morning and the afternoon, when there are 30° differences in track temperature, so it’s difficult to explain the problems with Carlos. Yesterday, for various reasons, he tried something that wasn’t ideal, but the team is doing a good job and we are there on the second row. We have a new set up with two motivated drivers, Carlos was first in Q1 and did a good job. We had agreed to focus on the race beforehand and we haven’t changed our plan. We know that degradation is a problem and we have to focus on our program, not fight someone else, we have to understand where we are and the result will come. I don’t expect to finish 8th, but it’s difficult to have a clear picture for tomorrow, we’ll do our best but we’re starting to get on the podium“.
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