Ferrari’s SF-23 has displayed impressive speed during one-lap qualifying rounds this season but usually falls short against Mercedes, and often Aston Martin, over the course of an entire race.
This trend was apparent at the Spanish Grand Prix, where Carlos Sainz secured a second-place qualification but was outpaced in the race by both Mercedes drivers and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
Vasseur is optimistic that Ferrari can compete with Mercedes in future races once the current issues have been addressed.
“As soon as we resolve the consistency problem, I believe we’ll be in a position to challenge them throughout the race,” he stated.
Dealing with Red Bull, particularly with Max Verstappen, is another matter altogether. “He’s still significantly quicker than us, both in qualifying and during races.”
Vasseur insists that Ferrari is matching pace with Mercedes in the development competition as both teams aim to catch up with Red Bull.
“An upgrade increases the car’s potential. You must remember that Mercedes isn’t complacent. They’ve made considerable improvements between Miami and Monaco. They’re not resting,” he said.
“But we can observe that our upgrades are yielding positive results in terms of performance. Comparing the performance between Miami (pre-Mercedes upgrade) and now, we’ve likely made progress, and so has Mercedes.
“In qualifications, we’re slightly faster, but our race performance is too inconsistent. If we recall Miami, Carlos’s initial performance was solid, but his second stint was disappointing,” Vasseur admitted.
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari, in the team principals Press Conference
Photo by: Mark Sutton / F1 Flow Images
Vasseur acknowledged that Ferrari’s continued strong performance in qualifying indicates that the most recent upgrade package was effective.
“We’ve made progress in terms of potential,” he said, citing Miami as a reference. “At least in qualifying, we managed to position Carlos in the front row, which is a significant step.
“In the race, we have made some progress compared to Aston Martin, but it’s still not enough.
We still lag significantly behind Mercedes from qualification to race. Our primary focus should be to close this performance gap if we want to stage a comeback and secure solid race results on Sundays.”
Vasseur admits it’s difficult to predict Ferrari’s competitive performance from one track to another.
“It’s challenging to anticipate our performance across different tracks,” he shared. “However, we’re starting to get a better understanding of our car and its capabilities. I believe this isn’t related to the track layout or the surface.
“Miami was a distinct experience, at least concerning the surface, yet the comparison between qualification and the race was remarkably similar.
“Mercedes is a useful benchmark because they introduced a substantial upgrade in Monaco, and the performance gap is roughly the same. I believe we have made progress, but the consistency is still lacking.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Ferrari’s consistency issues
What are the consistency issues that Ferrari is facing in Formula 1 races?
Ferrari is struggling to maintain consistent performance throughout the races. While they have shown impressive speed in qualifying, they often lose out to Mercedes and Red Bull over a race distance. This inconsistency hinders their ability to challenge their competitors.
Can Ferrari compete with Mercedes once their consistency issues are resolved?
According to Vasseur, the Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari, once Ferrari resolves their consistency issues, they can imagine themselves fighting with Mercedes throughout the race. However, he acknowledges that Red Bull, particularly with Max Verstappen, remains a significant challenge.
How is Ferrari keeping up with Mercedes in the development race?
Both Ferrari and Mercedes are actively working on development to catch up with Red Bull. Vasseur emphasizes that while Mercedes is also making significant updates, Ferrari has brought improvements that have positively impacted their performance. However, consistency remains a key area of concern for Ferrari.
Is Ferrari able to predict their car’s performance from track to track?
Vasseur mentions that predicting Ferrari’s performance from one track to another is challenging. They are gradually gaining a better understanding of their car’s capabilities, but it does not seem to be strongly influenced by the track layout or surface conditions. Consistency and overall performance improvement across different tracks remain their primary goals.
More about Ferrari’s consistency issues
- Ferrari F1 Team Official Website
- Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team Official Website
- Red Bull Racing Honda Official Website
- Formula 1 Official Website
4 comments
Vassuer’s sayin’ Ferrari gotta fix their consistency issues if they wanna give Merc a run for their money in F1. They’re fast in qualifying, but lose out in the races. Got jumped by Mercs and Red Bull in Spain. Need to up their game, man!
Ferrari’s strugglein’ with bein’ consistent in races, and that’s holdin’ ’em back from takin’ on Mercedes. Vassuer says they gotta sort it out if they wanna challenge ’em all the way. Keep workin’ hard, Ferrari!
Vassuer believes Ferrari can catch up with Mercedes once they fix their consistency problems. They’ve been quick in qualis, but in the races, they keep losin’ out to Mercedes and Red Bull. Gotta stay focused and bring that consistency, Ferrari!
Ferrari’s gotta figure out how to be fast and consistent in the races if they wanna fight against Mercedes. Vassuer knows they’re still behind Red Bull too, especially with Verstappen. It’s a tough battle, but keep pushin’, Ferrari!