Why Ferrari are confident they can challenge Red Bull.
In little over twelve months, Fred Vasseur can be credited with transforming the situation at Ferrari. After inheriting a team that was several steps behind Red Bull, the French team principal has overseen a dramatic overhaul at Maranello.
April 15, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Ferrari believes they are capable of putting Red Bull under pressure in 2024. For obvious reasons, the Scuderia’s victory courtesy of Carlos Sainz in Australia was a pivotal moment. The Spaniard led teammate Charles Leclerc to the team’s first 1-2 finish in two seasons. The third round of 2024 also confirmed Ferrari’s improved tyre management, a strength that was again confirmed as Leclerc executed a one-stop race in Suzuka.

In the last few months, Fred Vassuer has consistently emphasised the importance of putting pressure on Red Bull. For various reasons, the personnel at Maranello have reason to believe they can make the reigning Champions uneasy. Oddly enough, perhaps the most encouraging race of the season for Ferrari was in Japan. Whilst Red Bull secured a 1-2 finish with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, the race weekend in Suzuka surpassed expectations for Ferrari.

Heading into the race weekend, it was hypothesised that McLaren could challenge the Italian squad as the second-fastest team. The Japanese circuit’s high-speed characteristics are more favourable to the MCL38 than the SF-24. However, it was Ferrari that was Red Bull’s closest challenger at a circuit which – on paper – is not suited to their car.

‘Transforming the situation at Ferrari’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...enge-red-bull/


Ferrari send clear warning to Red Bull after dominant ways return at Suzuka
11 Apr 2024 6:45AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

“For sure you have to improve the speed of the car, bring upgrades, but I think so far, we did not extract the best from the car,” Vasseur told Channel 4. “We are still doing some mistakes during the weekend and the first focus is to be able to get the best from what you have. Then, we’ll have time to improve the car.”

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has pinpointed an area of his game where he must improve – that being qualifying – after recovering to P4 from his P8 grid slot at Suzuka. Vasseur believes this need to perform better in qualifying runs across the team, as Ferrari aim to make sure that starts as of the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix.

“I think we did a very solid Sunday,” said Vasseur of Ferrari’s Japanese GP, which saw Sainz claim P3 and Leclerc P4. “We had a very good recovery, we had a good strategy, a very good tyre management. The pace was there. If we have to change something on the weekend, it’s more on Saturday. It will be the next target for China to have a much better qualy.”

‘Ferrari send clear warning’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...-to-come-sf-24


‘It’s much more calm on the pit wall’ – Vasseur explains Ferrari strategy change with everyone moving in ‘same direction’
11 April 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur hailed a “very strong” performance from the outfit at the Japanese Grand Prix as he noted continued progress in terms of their tyre management and race strategy. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 post-race, Vasseur said: “It was a very good Sunday for the team. I think we had a good recovery, the quali was a bit difficult, but we had a very strong Sunday.

“[It was a] good strategy, good tyre management, and we were able to come back. If we want to do a better weekend we will have to improve the Saturday now.” Pushed on whether he’s taking any credit for that feeling of calmness on the pit wall, Vasseur replied:

“No, no, I think that the situation, you know that [in] our business, you have to put everything together. “When you start to go in the right direction, everybody is pushing, everybody is more calm, everybody is more confident, and the opposite when you start to have a negative spiral – it’s much more difficult.”

‘Calm on the pit wall’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...5aFZsKjiExlj7y


Vasseur identifies Ferrari ‘opportunity’ in China
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur feels the Chinese Grand Prix will provide the Italian outfit with an opportunity to test whether it is closer to Red Bull in colder conditions, amid an already strong start to the F1 season.
07:09 Thu, 11 Apr 2024.
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Frederic Vasseur has highlighted an opportunity for his team at the Chinese Grand Prix, following a strong Sunday performance at Suzuka. “I think everything went very well on Sunday,” the Ferrari team principal said to media including RacingNews365 after the race. “The strategy was a good one for both cars, the tyre management was under control, the pit stops went well.”

Last year, Ferrari suffered during races due to poor tyre management. With Suzuka being considered hard on tyres, Vasseur agreed that the result was confirmation that the team had moved in the right direction this term. “I think from the beginning of the season, we are much better on the tyre management and degredation. We were able to do the fastest lap in Jeddah. It was almost the same case today, but for one tenth [of a second]. We did a good step forward. We worked a lot in the pre-season and we improved massively on the tyre management.”

When asked if he felt the things would have been closer in colder conditions, Vasseur turned his attention to the next event. “I think in China we will have the opportunity to be tested in colder conditions,” the 55-year-old replied, refusing to get drawn in, adding: “But I don’t know. I’m not sure if we are in a better shape – you never know about engine settings, the level of fuel.”

‘Ferrari ‘opportunity’ in China’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-id...unity-in-china


Ferrari boss issues blunt Lewis Hamilton warning despite fast start to 2024 F1 season
Ferrari have enjoyed a strong start to the 2024 F1 season, but CEO Benedetto Vigna has warned there is still work to do ahead of Hamilton's arrival
16:18 Mon, 15 Apr 2024.
BY GAVIN BERRYLIVE SPORTS EDITOR
TOM VICTORSPORT TRENDS WRITER
Daily Record

Lewis Hamilton has been issued a blunt warning by Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur, despite the team's strong start to the 2024 season. Vasseur told La Repubblica. "The team only had one podium this time last year, as well as just one race win all season," reports the Mirror. "The world of competition is like a person's life accelerated to the maximum - things can change quickly, going between good and bad. Stasis does not exist, everything flows quickly," he added.

‘Blunt Lewis Hamilton warning’;

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/...lewis-32591758