Ferrari’s long-awaited return to championship glory slipped away in 2024, with team principal Fred Vasseur pinpointing a disastrous double-DNF in Canada as a central blow to their campaign. Missing out on the Constructors’ Championship by just 14 points to McLaren, Ferrari’s costly moments throughout the season highlighted the razor-thin margins in Formula 1’s high-stakes battles.
Progress Amid Pain: Ferrari’s 2024 in Perspective
Despite the heartbreak, Vasseur emphasized the team’s marked improvement from 2023. Ferrari scored 60% more points than the previous year, secured five race victories (compared to just one in 2023), and delivered solid reliability, strategy, and pit stop performances.
“It’s a mixed feeling because we made a big step forward,” Vasseur said. “Reliability was better, the strategy was good, pit stops went well, and the performance was there. But finishing just 14 points behind McLaren—over a 600-point season—is frustrating. A single race made a huge difference.”
The turning point, Vasseur admitted, was the Canadian Grand Prix. Ferrari left Montreal empty-handed, with Charles Leclerc suffering a reliability failure and Carlos Sainz crashing out in a racing incident. Meanwhile, McLaren capitalized on the chaos to secure valuable points, tilting the championship fight in their favor.
“Canada was the moment that comes to mind when I think about those 14 points. We scored zero, and McLaren didn’t. That kind of double-zero weekend is brutal when you’re fighting in such a competitive field.”
The Summer Struggles
Canada wasn’t the only Achilles’ heel. Ferrari’s dip in form during the summer—across races in Spain, the UK, and Austria—saw them hemorrhage critical points. Vasseur estimated Ferrari lost up to 90 points to McLaren during this period.
“This is what happens in a four-team battle,” Vasseur reflected. “You’re always up and down. But in this kind of championship, one or two crashes or a reliability issue can be too much.”
A Cultural Shift at Maranello
What impressed Vasseur most was Ferrari’s resilience. He praised the team’s united response to setbacks, which he attributed to a growing culture of collaboration and accountability within Maranello.
“When we faced tough times in June and July, the team’s reaction was outstanding. We never blamed a person or department. Instead, we worked together to solve problems. This unity is what we need to fight for championships in the future.”
This cultural evolution, Vasseur said, is a cornerstone of Ferrari’s revival and a source of pride for him as team principal.
“It’s easy to say ‘act as a team,’ but it’s much harder to do under the pressure of results and races. I was very proud of how the team handled this season.”
Looking Forward to 2025
Vasseur is optimistic that Ferrari’s lessons in 2024 will fuel their push for the 2025 season. With a sharper focus on reliability and avoiding costly crashes, the team aims to end their Constructors’ Championship drought, which has lasted since 2008.
