A double-DNF in Canada was central to Ferrari’s failure to win the 2024 constructors’ championship, however group principal Fred Vasseur says the response to such difficulties bodes properly for the longer term.
Ferrari misplaced out to McLaren by 14 factors within the constructors’ battle, lacking out on an opportunity to win the championship for the primary time since 2008. Vasseur says the general group efficiency was a transparent signal of Ferrari’s progress in comparison with the earlier season however Canada stands out because the notably expensive weekend after failing to attain.
“For certain it’s a little bit of a combined feeling, as a result of I feel that we did a great step ahead in comparison with 2023, I’d say on each single pillar.” Vasseur mentioned. “Reliability was higher, the technique was good, pit stops went properly, the efficiency was there. We scored 60 % extra factors than one yr in the past; we’ve got 5 wins in opposition to one. I feel [by all metrics], it’s inexperienced.
“The one [negative] is that we completed the season 14 factors behind McLaren. Once more it’s not in Abu Dhabi that we misplaced one thing. On common throughout the season, I feel McLaren scored 26, 27 factors per weekend, and we scored greater than this in Abu Dhabi. It’s in all probability extra in Canada with double zero, or {the summertime} after we struggled somewhat bit — Spain, UK, Austria.
“We struggled right here, and on this interval of 4 races, we misplaced one thing like 80 or 90 factors on McLaren. In addition they have their downsides to the season. It’s like this when you will have 4 groups combating, that you’re at all times up and down. You may have a form of frustration the Sunday night in Abu Dhabi if you find yourself 14 factors behind McLaren. Over 600 [points each], it’s not that a lot.
“When you have a have a look at this season, the primary race that got here to my thoughts once I mentioned, ‘OK we’re 14 factors behind,’ it’s Canada. Canada we had the double zero with a reliability difficulty on Charles [Leclerc’s car] and I feel a race incident for Carlos [Sainz], and I feel that McLaren didn’t have [any].
“McLaren had a race incident with [Oscar] Piastri, however … they rating factors, and if you find yourself in this type of battle with 4 groups, should you rating zero-zero it’s fairly powerful to return again, which signifies that reliability is essential and we’ve got to keep away from the crashes. We had one or two crashes, however in this type of championship that’s an excessive amount of.”
Regardless of the race in Montreal standing out to Vasseur, he was additionally impressed by Ferrari’s response because it fought again from a run of disappointing races to get so near profitable the title. Not solely did it present a robust understanding of the automobile’s issues, he says it’s reflective of a shift in tradition inside Maranello.
“I feel the method this yr, as a group, was excellent, even after we had the powerful June, July,” he mentioned. “The response from the group, as a group, was excellent. We by no means blame somebody or [any] division; we work collectively to return again, we work collectively to search out options between the completely different teams, and it went properly.
“You may at all times say that it might have been higher to not have the difficulty, however I feel the response was good, and it’s what we’re additionally anticipating for the longer term if we wish to battle for the championship. And sure, it’s a part of what we wish to have.
“When you find yourself making an attempt to repair a purpose for the group it’s to work as a group, to behave as a group, to not blame somebody when we’ve got points. It’s simple to say, however it’s not simple to do when you will have the strain of the consequence and the strain of the races. I used to be not there earlier than — I can’t choose on the previous — however I used to be very happy with the response of the group this yr.”
