Fred Vasseur ‘annoyed’ by radio message to Lewis Hamilton during A disappointing…read more
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur expressed frustration following a disappointing qualifying session at the Australian Grand Prix, where both of the team’s drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, struggled to make a significant impact. The two drivers were only able to secure positions on the fourth row of the grid, which was far below expectations, particularly as Ferrari had been anticipated to be one of the fastest teams over a single lap at the weekend.
Despite entering the weekend with high hopes, the Scuderia was unable to deliver in the crucial qualifying session. Charles Leclerc, who was Ferrari’s highest-placed driver, ended up nearly seven-tenths of a second behind the pole-sitter, Lando Norris. This gap was a clear indication that Ferrari had not found the ideal setup for the track, and it raised questions about their overall performance. Leclerc’s struggles were mirrored by his teammate, Carlos Sainz, who also faced difficulties during qualifying, ultimately ending up further down the grid.
Adding to Ferrari’s woes were communication breakdowns and strategic confusion within the team. A notable incident that caused annoyance was a radio message directed at Lewis Hamilton during the session, which caught the attention of Fred Vasseur. The radio exchange appeared to suggest that Ferrari was trying to influence Hamilton’s qualifying tactics, which did not sit well with the Ferrari chief. Vasseur made it clear that such messages were unhelpful and only added to the team’s frustration, rather than contributing to a positive outcome.
Hamilton, for his part, also struggled throughout the session, with his performance falling below expectations. While Ferrari’s disappointing qualifying was notable, it was not an isolated issue, as other teams also experienced challenges due to the unpredictable conditions at the Australian circuit. However, for Ferrari, the reality of their performance was a stark contrast to the optimism that surrounded them before the weekend. The team’s poor showing in qualifying served as a reminder of how quickly things can go wrong in Formula 1, even for teams with high expectations.
The focus now shifts to the race itself, with both Leclerc and Sainz needing to make up ground from their lower grid positions. Ferrari will be hoping to improve their strategy and avoid any further communication errors in order to salvage a result from what has already been a difficult weekend. Fred Vasseur and the entire Scuderia team will be hoping for a much stronger performance on race day, with the goal of returning to the form that they had shown in the early part of the season.
