The Ferrari Formula 1 team has slowed down a bit in the battle for the 2024 World Championship. Since the conclusion of the Monaco event, their performance has declined, which was evident during the qualifying for the Austrian GP. Ferrari managed to secure a fifth place behind Red Bull, the two McLaren cars, and the Mercedes W15. On the other hand, they faced a problem during SQ3, resulting in a tenth place. Faced with this difficult situation, the Ferrari boss acknowledged that they will not be able to challenge Red Bull in Austria. Instead, he sees his team competing with Mercedes and McLaren at the 4.3 km long Red Bull Ring.
Fred Vasseur, the team spokesperson, expressed disappointment with one car finishing in fifth place and the other in tenth. He highlighted the need to analyze their performance with the soft tire, as they were competitive with the medium tire and managed to fight against Mercedes and McLaren. Vasseur’s reaction indicates his concern for the upcoming Austrian GP weekend. He believes that the SF-24 did not perform smoothly on the fast Spielberg track, requiring adjustments to their car.
Although Vasseur acknowledges that Ferrari will not be able to challenge Red Bull in Austria, he revealed his strategy for the Sprint race. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc will have the freedom to push their SF-24 cars to the maximum during the short race. Furthermore, with Sainz starting in fifth place, he has a good chance of securing a podium finish.
Currently, Ferrari occupies the second position in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship. They are behind Red Bull by 60 points, making it crucial for Vasseur and his team to seize every opportunity to score points. In the Sprint race, points are awarded to the top eight drivers, and with Sainz starting in fifth place, he is well positioned to achieve a good score. However, Leclerc will face a challenge starting from tenth place.
