In the first two races of the 2024 F1 season, Ferrari has consistently been the second fastest team behind Red Bull. Carlos Sainz finished third in Bahrain, following Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, while Charles Leclerc achieved the same result in Saudi Arabia. Despite the noticeable gap between Ferrari and Red Bull, Vasseur remains optimistic. He believes his team can build on their current position and challenge the reigning F1 champions. After the race in Jeddah, Vasseur stated: “I don’t want to be negative, as it was a successful weekend. We must be hopeful and cherish these moments. However, it is clear that Red Bull is still ahead. They have a slight advantage of two to three tenths in qualifying and a bit more in the race. It’s hard to determine if they were pushing to their full potential. However, the overall feeling is positive. If we progress, we can put pressure on them. When we were a second behind, it was useless, but now, with a good start, we can be competitive and fight. In Jeddah, it was relatively easy for them to overtake due to their higher top speed, which was a conscious decision. However, there will be other opportunities for us in the future.” Despite Ferrari accumulating almost double the points compared to 2023, Vasseur emphasizes that their main focus is on the development of the SF-24, which has already proven to be a superior car compared to its predecessor.
He declared: “I am not focused on the championship, but I believe we have accumulated approximately 45 points [Ferrari accumulated 49] overall, and last year, after three races, we had 25 [Ferrari had 26]. It is crucial to have a strong start. Furthermore, I believe that the fact that the car is, I don’t want to say easy to operate, and in any case has no connection to performance – but I think the car today is simpler to operate than a year ago. This serves as a solid foundation for development, as the car is much easier for the drivers to interpret, making it much simpler to identify areas that need improvement. In this situation, it represents progress for us overall,” said the Frenchman.
An indication that the SF-24 is an improvement is the fact that it has shown in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia that it is more gentle on the tires compared to the 2023 car. This means that Ferrari has taken a positive step in addressing a long-standing weakness that has hindered their recent F1 campaigns.
However, Vasseur insists that this aspect is not the only method of improvement. He explained: “Performance is derived from various sources, and it is never a matter of having a solution that provides a five-tenths advantage in the car. If we want to achieve, we must improve each aspect individually. That was our approach last year and it yielded favorable results. We made decent progress, but we must continue to advance in all areas. Undoubtedly, aerodynamics plays a crucial role. We have updates in progress, but I am sure everyone else does too. The most important aspect is introducing updates that can be effectively implemented on the car, and I believe that is where we excelled last year,” Vasseur concluded.
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The Formula 1 driver, Max Verstappen, achieved an exciting victory at the Monaco Grand Prix this Sunday. The race was intense, with Verstappen surpassing Lewis Hamilton to secure the first position on the podium. This victory marks an important moment for Verstappen, who now leads the world championship of drivers.
The race started with Hamilton in pole position, but Verstappen quickly showed his skill by overtaking the Mercedes driver. The two competitors engaged in an exciting battle throughout the race, with Verstappen maintaining the lead despite constant pressure from Hamilton.
However, the race was not only about Verstappen and Hamilton. Several other drivers also had impressive performances, including Sergio Perez, who finished in third place. Perez demonstrated his overtaking skills and managed to secure a spot on the podium.
Furthermore, the race in Monaco was also marked by some collisions and incidents. There were several yellow flags and even a safety car period. However, this did not prevent Verstappen from maintaining his position and securing the victory.
With this victory, Verstappen now leads the world championship of drivers with a points advantage over Hamilton. The battle between the two drivers promises to be fierce throughout the season, and Formula 1 fans are eager to see how it will unfold.
The next Grand Prix will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, and the drivers are ready for another exciting race. It will be interesting to see if Verstappen can maintain his position at the top or if Hamilton can recover and regain the lead.
Overall, the Monaco Grand Prix was an exciting and action-packed race. Verstappen once again proved that he is a talented and determined driver, and his victory is a clear sign that he is ready to compete for the world championship. Formula 1 fans are eager to see what the rest of the season holds.
