Vasseur: “Great Ferrari, but we improve on Saturdays. Even with Charles”

by VALERIO BARRETTA

Ferrari second strength at Suzuka

You can also be happy with a third and fourth place. In Ferrari there is no satisfaction, but relative joy for having consolidated the role of second force even on a track that had put it to the test in 2023, like Suzuka. The SF-24 halved the deficit to Red Bull and won the duel with McLaren, and Frederic Vasseur – who knows how to put things in perspective – must underline the enormous progress in pace already detected in the first tests and which is now a certainty. Now, paradoxically, we need to improve on Saturday to avoid “inventing” strategies like the one that allowed Charles Leclerc to climb from eighth to fourth position, behind Carlos Sainz.

Vasseur's words

“I think it went well for both drivers, both in terms of strategy and tire management. If we missed anything over the weekend it was yesterday, but today went very well. Carlos drove a solid race, and Charles had a great recovery from eighth place, it was a great team effort“, these are the words to Sky Sports F1. “I think the fastest strategy was the two-stop strategy, we decided to change Charles' one more for the position on the track than for the traffic. I don't think second place was possible, even though we lost ground at the start behind Lando Norris to avoid the dirty air. Overall it went very well and I think the strategy was the right one“.

“Today the degradation was under control and we didn't get far from setting the fastest lap, so it means that this part of the weekend wasn't bad. We need to improve a bit in qualifying, it's almost the opposite situation compared to last year. Without a doubt we need to improve on Saturday, even with Charlesbecause in the race it becomes more difficult when you start from eighth place than when you start from the front row, and this will be the goal for China“.

The Frenchman explained how the choice to pass Sainz at the end against Leclerc was very simple to adopt: “The two drivers were not on the same strategy, so Charles and Carlos had 1.5 seconds of difference in potential when they were close, and there wasn't even a fight. I am convinced that Carlos' strategy was the best, but Charles' strategy was also good. So far we are very focused on the car we have to make the most of our package. At the moment we are not at an optimal level, we need to focus on the set-up, on tire management, and then we will be able to bring updates at more suitable times of the season“.