A double-DNF in Canada was central to Ferrari’s failure to win the 2024 constructors’ championship, however crew principal Fred Vasseur says the response to such difficulties bodes nicely for the longer term.
Ferrari misplaced out to McLaren by 14 factors within the constructors’ combat, lacking out on an opportunity to win the championship for the primary time since 2008. Vasseur says the general crew efficiency was a transparent signal of Ferrari’s progress in comparison with the earlier season however Canada stands out because the notably pricey weekend after failing to attain.
“For certain it’s a little bit of a combined feeling, as a result of I feel that we did a very good step ahead in comparison with 2023, I’d say on each single pillar.” Vasseur mentioned. “Reliability was higher, the technique was good, pit stops went nicely, the efficiency was there. We scored 60 p.c extra factors than one 12 months in the past; we have now 5 wins in opposition to one. I feel [by all metrics], it’s inexperienced.
“The one [negative] is that we completed the season 14 factors behind McLaren. Once more it’s not in Abu Dhabi that we misplaced one thing. On common in the course of the season, I feel McLaren scored 26, 27 factors per weekend, and we scored greater than this in Abu Dhabi. It’s in all probability extra in Canada with double zero, or {the summertime} after we struggled just a little bit — Spain, UK, Austria.
“We struggled right here, and on this interval of 4 races, we misplaced one thing like 80 or 90 factors on McLaren. Additionally they have their downsides to the season. It’s like this when you have got 4 groups preventing, that you’re at all times up and down. You will have a form of frustration the Sunday night in Abu Dhabi when you find yourself 14 factors behind McLaren. Over 600 [points each], it’s not that a lot.
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“In case you have a have a look at this season, the primary race that got here to my thoughts after I mentioned, ‘OK we’re 14 factors behind,’ it’s Canada. Canada we had the double zero with a reliability problem on Charles [Leclerc’s car] and I feel a race incident for Carlos [Sainz], and I feel that McLaren didn’t have [any].
“McLaren had a race incident with [Oscar] Piastri, however … they rating factors, and when you find yourself in this sort of combat with 4 groups, for those who rating zero-zero it’s fairly robust to come back again, which signifies that reliability is essential and we have now to keep away from the crashes. We had one or two crashes, however in this sort of championship that’s an excessive amount of.”
Regardless of the race in Montreal standing out to Vasseur, he was additionally impressed by Ferrari’s response because it fought again from a run of disappointing races to get so near profitable the title. Not solely did it present a powerful understanding of the automotive’s issues, he says it’s reflective of a shift in tradition inside Maranello.
“I feel the strategy this 12 months, as a crew, was superb, even after we had the robust June, July,” he mentioned. “The response from the crew, as a crew, was superb. We by no means blame somebody or [any] division; we work collectively to come back again, we work collectively to search out options between the completely different teams, and it went nicely.
“You may at all times say that it will have been higher to not have the problem, however I feel the response was good, and it’s what we’re additionally anticipating for the longer term if we wish to combat for the championship. And sure, it’s a part of what we wish to have.
“When you’re attempting to repair a objective for the crew it’s to work as a crew, to behave as a crew, to not blame somebody when we have now points. It’s simple to say, nevertheless it’s not simple to do when you have got the stress of the consequence and the stress of the races. I used to be not there earlier than — I can’t choose on the previous — however I used to be very pleased with the response of the crew this 12 months.”
