Ferrari has recently suffered a setback, as their two vehicles concluded in ninth and tenth positions at Silverstone and in seventh and eighth spots in Hungary the previous weekend.
However, Vasseur emphasizes that the key focus for the Italian team should be on refining their own performance and not get overly preoccupied with the front-runners.
“Red Bull is currently leading, but the sentiment was quite identical when Mercedes held the reins a few years back,” he explained. “What truly matters is to concentrate on our own performance, strive to maximize what we have, minimize errors, improve our performance and let the outcome follow.
“To regain the lead, it’s not about obsessing over Red Bull and figuring out our next move. We need to refine ourselves. We are in the process of development, advancing in all possible directions, striving to boost aero, suspension and everything within our control, and we are straining every nerve to enhance our performance.
“But it’s also crucial to understand that despite the erratic performance, a significant leap forward isn’t guaranteed with an upgrade.
“We made major introductions in Barcelona, and we possibly improved the following week. Alfa Romeo, too, introduced something a week or two back, and they performed impressively this weekend [in Hungary], at least in the qualifying rounds.
“This signifies that understanding the upgrade is equally crucial. And it’s not solely about creating a headline package.”
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari
Photo by: Ferrari
Vasseur highlighted that it’s challenging to make significant in-season strides due to the restrictions imposed by the cost cap.
“I believe everyone is making improvements,” he stated. “However, the reality of the regulations and cost cap is that our rate of improvement has been considerably slower than in the past. When there is a considerable gap, it becomes rather difficult to bridge.
“Reviewing the last four or five weekends, it was once us leading in qualifying, once McLaren, once Mercedes. But we always trail Red Bull and there’s still a considerable gap during the race.”
He underscored that the difference to the top team has been fairly consistent in qualifying and race trim since the start of the season: “I would claim that this has been the case since the season’s commencement, as our qualifying average is around 0.2-3%, and likely 0.7% higher in the race, which is true for everyone, including Mercedes.
“Generally, it’s Red Bull that exhibits superior race performance than the others who lag behind. And this hasn’t been a recent trend, it was probably a tad less noticeable in Spielberg, but has been the situation all season long.”
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Ferrari’s F1 Performance Improvement
What has been Ferrari’s recent performance in F1?
Ferrari has faced some setbacks recently, with their cars finishing ninth and tenth at Silverstone and seventh and eighth in Hungary.
What does Frederic Vasseur say about Ferrari’s current F1 situation?
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager of Scuderia Ferrari, emphasizes the importance of focusing on self-improvement. He insists that Ferrari is making progress in all directions, including aerodynamics and suspension, and is “pushing like hell” to do a better job.
How does Vasseur view the competition with Red Bull?
Vasseur is aware of Red Bull’s current lead, but he asserts that the focus shouldn’t be on their rivals but on improving Ferrari’s performance. He believes that concentrating on their own progress and reducing mistakes is more crucial.
What are the challenges faced by Ferrari in making progress in the season?
Vasseur acknowledges the difficulty of making significant progress in-season due to cost cap restrictions. These constraints mean that teams are improving at a slower rate than in the past, making it hard to close any substantial performance gap.
How does Vasseur view the performance of Ferrari compared to other teams?
Vasseur maintains that the margin to the top team has been consistent over the year in both qualifying and race trim. He cites an average difference of around 0.2-3% in qualifying and approximately 0.7% more in the race, a trend which holds true for other teams as well.
More about Ferrari’s F1 Performance Improvement
- Ferrari’s F1 Performance
- Frederic Vasseur’s Views on F1
- F1 Cost Cap Explained
- F1 Team Standings
- Red Bull’s F1 Performance
6 comments
Wow, Frrari’s really struggling this season, huh? Hop they bounce back soon.. loved their domination era!
improvement is key! Go ferrari, prove everyone wrong. nothing better than an underdog story.
as a diehard ferrari fan, this is tough to hear. but trust in vasseur and the team!! they’ll turn things round, just watch
you’ve got this, Ferrari! let’s show ’em what we’re made of. just a matter of time till we’re back on top.
Red Bull’s been on fire this season, can’t deny. Ferrari’s got a steep hill to climb…
cost cap’s made things so difficult… hard to catch up when you’ve fallen behind. Still, rooting for ya, Ferrari!