F1 News: Ferrari Chief Reveals Reasoning Behind Huge Improvement - 'Coming With Confidence'

Alex Harrington | Apr 7, 2024

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur / Ferrari Press Image

Following a brilliant 2024 Japanese Grand Prix, Ferrari's team principal, Fred Vasseur, shed light on the team's recent jump in strategy and tyre management improvements, linking these changes to a growing sense of "confidence" within the team. This revelation comes after a podium finish for Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in a race dominated by Red Bull at the iconic Suzuka circuit.

Key Takeaways:

• Fred Vasseur's Reflection on Ferrari's Performance: Vasseur praised the team's recovery and performance on Sunday, citing good strategy and tyre management as key factors. However, he acknowledged the need for improvements in qualifying sessions to achieve better overall weekend results.
• Strategic and Mental Shifts Within Ferrari: The team has seen a shift in strategy and tyre management, attributed to increased confidence and calmness, particularly evident in decision-making on the pit wall. Vasseur believes this positive environment is crucial for success.
• The Evolution of Ferrari's Car and Team Confidence: Significant progress made with the car during the winter and the latter part of the previous year has boosted team morale. Vasseur highlights the importance of unity and collective calmness in fostering a conducive environment for improvements.

Fred Vasseur's insights come in the wake of an exciting Japanese Grand Prix, which saw a mix of strategies, Max Verstappen of Red Bull taking the victory followed by his teammate Sergio Perez, and Ferrari's own Carlos Sainz securing a deserved P3. The race was not without its challenges, including a red flag caused by a collision between Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo on the first lap, and various incidents that tested the teams' strategies and adaptability.

"It was a very good Sunday for the team. We had a good recovery after a bit of a difficult qualifying. We had a strong Sunday with a good strategy and good tyre management. If we want to do a better weekend, we have to improve the Saturday more," Vasseur explained. "This is coming with confidence. It's much more calm on the pit wall and it's the best way to take a decision and everything is going in the same direction and it's a smooth environment."

Vasseur further elaborated on the collective effort and mental shift that have been pivotal in Ferrari's recent strides:

"The situation is you have to put everything together and when you start to go in the right direction, everyone is pushing, everyone is more calm, everyone is more confident. It's the opposite when you have a negative spiral. We made a good step with the car during the winter and even the last part of last year. Everybody is much more confident in the team and more calm. We are doing a good job together."

The 2024 Japanese Grand Prix proved not only a test of speed but also of strategy, with various incidents across the race impacting teams' performances as well as changing weather conditions and wind. From a red flag early in the race to challenges faced by drivers like George Russell with turbulence, the event was a showcase for managing volatile situations.

Ferrari has solidified itself as the second fastest team on the grid. But with it being such a long season and with Ferrari yet to bring substantial upgrades, there could be some very exciting races ahead of us.