The director of the Maranello team reviewed in depth the touch that existed between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz during the team’s career. Spanish Grand Prix 2024 Formula 1, who finished in fifth and sixth position respectively. It was an unsatisfactory result for Fred Vasseurwho tried to put out the fire after the Monegasque did not see the point in the Spaniard’s overtaking attempt that ended in slight contact.
The head of Ferrari wanted downplay it because nothing changed when reaching the finish line: “It was a small contact, but we didn’t lose anything at that moment. We were fifth and sixth at that moment, and although we were very close, we had lost a few seconds, I think we were one lap away from catching Russell at the end of the race” .
However, The Frenchman believes they should have improved during qualifyingwhich was what really hindered them in the tenth round of the campaign: “We started fifth and sixth and finished in the same positions. For me, the conclusion is that we have to do a better job on Saturday.”
Charles Leclerc complained at the end of Sunday that he had problems due to damage to the front wing as a result of the touch, but Fred Vasseur assured that he did not lose anything: “From the data, we did not see anything about problems with Leclerc’s car after the contact with Sainz. I think it was more a problem of time, I think Charles. [Leclerc] “He lost something like half a second at that time, but we can find ten other examples where we lost half a second in the race.”
After finishing all the internal controversies, The director of Maranello spoke about the difference in pace compared to his rivals: “Yesterday we had a difference with the leaders of two or three tenths. Today, in the race, the difference was practically the same, and if we take into account the 66 laps, we finished twenty seconds behind, that is, two tenths and average per turn”.
“We have to take a small step forward on Saturday, in the classification, and we have to do it because when you start behind you have to overtake and take risks with your strategies,” explained Fred Vasseur. “Sainz, like Russell, came in early because we had to cover George’s strategy [Russell]and then ride Carlos [Sainz] the medium and the hard”.
“With Leclerc, our plan was to lengthen the first stint and go a little longer to have more possibilities of using the soft, but we lost a lap,” said the Frenchman, who believes that everything will be different next week at the Red Bull Ring. . “That was the situation in Barcelona, we were behind Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren, but the situation was different in Monaco, and it will change every weekend.”
“There is not a six-tenths difference between each car as in the past. Now we have three or four teams that are at the same level, or within two tenths, and that means that positions can change due to tire management, the temperatures, the settings, so many reasons,” he continued. “A small step forward can guarantee a big gain, and that means everything is open. The track characteristics in Austria will suit our car better.”
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