Ferrari struggled to keep up with its competitors in Barcelona. The boss of Ferrari, Frederic Vasseur, has advised the team to remain “composed” as he attributed its lackluster speed in the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix to the characteristics of the track.
The Italian brand aimed to recover from a disastrous double retirement in Canada by implementing a significant upgrade package that was rushed through to Barcelona last weekend. However, Ferrari was unable to challenge its immediate rivals in any conditions, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz starting and finishing in fifth and sixth places.
Similar to the situation in China, Vasseur argues that Ferrari’s overall race performance in Spain was a result of not optimizing the SF-24 on a single lap and falling short by narrow margins. Vasseur remains unfazed by Ferrari’s recent decline, as he points out that the closer competition at the top means that the order is now dictated by circuit configurations.
“I don’t recall the exact sequence of the races, but starting from Shanghai, you have four teams within two or three-tenths,” stated the Frenchman. “And this is changing, the order is changing because over the past four weekends, four different teams have achieved pole position. And we haven’t made significant changes to the car.”
“This implies that it is more influenced by the track layout, the tire compound, and the temperature, with a margin of plus or minus one or two-tenths. And since the group is extremely close, in the end, it determines the order in qualifying.”
“And then, on this type of track where overtaking is quite difficult, the qualifying classification almost determines the final race classification.”
“I am certain that if we start in P3 or P4, the opposite will be true in the final classification.”
“And if we need to make progress, honestly, I believe it is more due to our performance on Saturday rather than today.”
Vasseur denies that Ferrari has fallen to the fourth-fastest team, reiterating that the competitive landscape will continue to evolve throughout the season.
“Yesterday, we were five-thousands of a second behind the Mercedes,” he emphasized. “I think it’s just a gust of wind or something similar.”
“And they were 40 seconds behind us in Monaco two weeks ago. This means that, before drawing any conclusions like this, we need to remain calm.”
“We need to take each event as it comes. And I believe that next week, with a completely different format, different track surface, and different types of corners, we will have a different perspective.”
“Next week, the situation may change completely, whether it is in our favor or not. In Formula 1, nothing remains the same forever. Over the past decade, it is unlikely to find four consecutive events with four different drivers from four different teams securing pole position. This indicates that it is not entirely clear which driver or team is superior to the others.”
Vasseur dismissed the idea that performing well on a non-traditional track like Monaco and struggling on a conventional circuit should be seen as a cause for concern. When asked about Ferrari’s success at an outlier venue, he responded, “If we are achieving victories in Singapore, Baku, Monaco, and similar tracks, it is not a negative outcome. However, it should be noted that we have also been in the top four positions on multiple occasions.”
“It is premature to assert that there is a definitive order within the grid at present. The upcoming race will shed more light on this matter. It is possible that next week, the order will become evident. Nevertheless, this order may change again with the introduction of upgrades or modifications.”
“Furthermore, the nature of the car, its compatibility with high-speed corners or specific components, plays a significant role in its performance. It is not solely determined by the car’s potential when there are four teams within a two-tenths range.”
© 2024
O piloto de Fórmula 1 Lewis Hamilton conquistou mais uma vitória no Grande Prêmio de Portugal neste domingo. Hamilton, da equipe Mercedes, liderou a corrida do início ao fim, mostrando sua habilidade e domínio nas pistas. Com essa vitória, o piloto britânico aumentou sua vantagem na classificação geral e se aproximou ainda mais do seu oitavo título mundial.
A corrida foi emocionante desde a largada, com Hamilton mantendo a liderança e se distanciando dos demais competidores. O piloto Max Verstappen, da Red Bull, ficou em segundo lugar, seguido por Valtteri Bottas, também da Mercedes, em terceiro. A batalha entre Hamilton e Verstappen promete ser acirrada ao longo da temporada, com ambos os pilotos mostrando um desempenho excepcional.
Com o resultado do Grande Prêmio de Portugal, Hamilton agora tem uma vantagem de 20 pontos sobre Verstappen na classificação geral. O britânico está determinado a conquistar seu oitavo título mundial e se tornar o piloto mais bem sucedido da história da Fórmula 1. Sua consistência e habilidade nas pistas o colocam como favorito para alcançar esse feito.
A próxima corrida será o Grande Prêmio da Espanha, que acontecerá em duas semanas. Hamilton está confiante e motivado para continuar sua sequência de vitórias e aumentar ainda mais sua vantagem na classificação geral. Verstappen, por sua vez, está determinado a buscar a vitória e reduzir a diferença para o líder do campeonato.
A temporada de 2024 da Fórmula 1 está repleta de emoção e competição acirrada. Os fãs estão ansiosos para ver quem sairá como vencedor ao final do campeonato. Hamilton e Verstappen são os principais protagonistas dessa batalha e prometem proporcionar grandes momentos nas pistas. Não perca nenhum detalhe, acompanhe todas as corridas e torça pelo seu piloto favorito.
