Frédéric Vasseur, the team principal of Ferrari, is urging his team to step up their game in Austria. The team’s performance at the Spanish Grand Prix was underwhelming, considering they are the second-ranked team in the Constructors’ Championship. This has allowed McLaren to close in on them. Vasseur also anticipates that the competition between the cars will be even tighter at the Red Bull Ring than it was in Barcelona.
The Spanish Grand Prix was not a race to remember for Scuderia Ferrari. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished fifth and sixth respectively. A near-collision between the two Ferrari drivers at the start of the race was the only time the Italian team really made headlines. According to team principal Vasseur, the disappointing weekend was not due to the new upgrades.
“The upgrades introduced in Spain worked as expected, but our competitors clearly haven’t been twiddling their thumbs,” says Frédéric Vasseur, in an official press release from Ferrari. “At this moment, there are four teams all within less than three-tenths of each other.” The Frenchman believes that the differences will be even smaller in Austria.
Ferrari’s Strategy
Vasseur shares Ferrari’s strategy for the Red Bull Ring. “We will focus entirely on ourselves, because in Spielberg, every small detail can make the difference.” The Scuderia’s task this weekend is made more challenging by the return of the sprint format. “Everyone in the team, including the drivers, needs to be on top of their game to ensure we don’t miss any opportunities that come our way. This applies to the qualifying, especially against such strong opponents, and also to how we execute the race. I want us to step up our game in Austria.”
