SUMMARY
- Ferrari's 1-2 finish at the Australian Grand Prix signals a resurgence, closing in on Red Bull in the standings.
- Vasseur's confidence in Ferrari's ability to pressure Red Bull underscores their strategic and technical advancements.
After a successful stint at the Australian Grand Prix, Ferrari and Fred Vasseur sent a jolt through the Formula 1 community. Prancing Horse skillfully nabbed the P1 and P2 spots in the race at Albert Park. With Max Verstappen retiring early in the race, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc secured a 1-2 finish for Ferrari. This has a significant boost in the constructors’ standings as they are trailing behind Red Bull by a mere 4 points.
Verstappen, who had qualified impressively to start at pole position, encountered brake failure after just four laps, forcing him out of the race. It was a disappointing week for the reigning champions as Sergio Perez had to settle for a P5 spot out of the podium. However, This Australian victory undoubtedly bolstered the morale of the red team, solidifying their position as a strong contender for the championship title.
Fred Vasseur believes Ferrari may push Red Bull into errors
Team principal Fred Vasseur, as reported by SkySports, remains confident in his team’s ability to capitalize on Red Bull’s vulnerabilities. Vasseur emphasizes the importance of constant upgrades while urging the team to maintain a relentless pursuit of performance optimization. He also pointed out the technical advancements in the SF-24 as compared to their 2023 car, claiming it to be an easy drive.
AUTO MOTOR UND SPORT [STORY TRANSLATION]
Red Bull is still ahead, but Frédéric Vasseur sees a good chance that Ferrari can catch up. If Red Bull continues to be put under pressure, the Scuderia Ferrari boss hopes for an increased error rate among the competition.
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) March 28, 2024
According to the Frenchman, “This weekend I think it’s good evidence that when we are putting everything together, and I’m not sure that we’ll be able to do it every single weekend, we can put them a little bit under pressure. And it’s when they are under pressure that they will also make more mistakes.” Even after his emergency surgery, Sainz displayed impressive pace, running the champions on the grid wheel-to-wheel.
Notably, Red Bull themselves acknowledged their car’s limitations on the Albert Park circuit, highlighting the need for strategic adaptation across diverse tracks. However, RB20 likely maintains a slight performance advantage overall. Their design may prove more versatile on upcoming tracks, suggesting a potential return to dominance.
F1 boss thinks Ferrari deserves F1 success post-2023 challenges
The Australian Grand Prix witnessed a remarkable reversal of fortunes for Ferrari. After a disastrous showing in 2023, marked by Leclerc’s opening-lap crash and points lost by Sainz due to a penalty, Ferrari fought back with a dominant 1-2 finish. A recovered Sainz, recently sidelined by appendicitis surgery, surprised everyone by concluding the qualifying session with P2.
📰: Mercedes’ Toto Wolff acknowledges Ferrari’s triumph in the Australian Grand Prix, attributing it to Fred Vasseur and Italy after the team’s struggles in 2023. Carlos Sainz’s remarkable comeback adds to Ferrari’s success.#F1 pic.twitter.com/9863UL9J0D
— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) March 29, 2024
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, amid the growing tensions between them, acknowledged the Italian team’s well-deserved triumph. Wolff stated, “First of all, I’m happy for Ferrari. I’m happy for Fred. He deserves that. Last year, we were flying together and on the flight, Dubai to Melbourne [with] Emirates, he had a disc [in his spine] that jumped out and he couldn’t sit or sleep.”
While adding to the disappointment of Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari, Wolff added, “As much as I hate our situation, [Vasseur] deserves that. Ferrari deserves that. And Italy deserves it.” The Austrian boss pointed out the critical situation Sainz is facing at the moment, the ill fate of losing a seat in the following year. He also appreciated the Spaniard for his stellar performance right after his surgery.
