Fred Vasseur does not agree with Charles Leclerc regarding the battle with Lewis Hamilton in Japan: while the drivers appeared somewhat frustrated, their boss fully supported it.
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Leclerc managed to secure a third-place finish, while Lewis Hamilton had to settle for sixth position. However, both drivers had to defend against each other several times during the race.
The Briton said he was intrigued by the advantage of the Monegasque’s car in terms of power, feeling that his Ferrari did not respond sufficiently to his needs in this area.
For his part, Leclerc was also disappointed with the SF-26, highlighting that the Maranello team needed to make major changes to the car during the April break. But this battle between the two drivers found a fervent supporter at Ferrari: none other than Vasseur himself.
Frustration on the radio
Leclerc took every opportunity to express his annoyance over the radio regarding this duel with Hamilton. He indicated several times that this battle was costing him time.
Lap 16: “We are losing a lot of time with this battle. Either I let him pass and I lose time. Or I fight, and I lose time.”
Lap 40: “We are losing a bit of time. We are not managing this correctly. We are losing a lot of time.”
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Despite the obvious frustration of both drivers, the Ferrari team principal was comfortable with the idea of letting them fight for supremacy during the race, highlighting their experience and professionalism.
“In overtaking mode, it is quite easy to stay behind someone, he observes. Once there is a gap, you lose, and it becomes very difficult to freeze positions. But they have experience, they are professionals, and they know what they are doing. I am not afraid of that.”
New start in Miami
After the race, Vasseur also indicated that Ferrari, like several other teams, will bring significant upgrades available at the restart of the championship during the Miami Grand Prix: “Please do not misinterpret my words: everyone will have upgrades, everyone will have modified their car. Everything will change, it will be a new season.”
“We did not introduce everything during the first races, notably because of the budget cap, he emphasizes. From now on, everyone will push. The most important thing is the teams’ ability to bring upgrades.”
Perhaps Ferrari is keeping its changes relatively secret so as not to give a competitive advantage to Mercedes or other teams in their preparation. If the Scuderia manages to develop the solid foundation laid at the start of the season, it could clearly become a title contender once the championship restarts.
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