Vasseur Blunt About Ferrari’s Pace: “We’re Not F….read more
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur has candidly acknowledged that the team is still lacking in raw pace, especially over a single lap, as the Formula 1 calendar heads into one of the most demanding circuits for Qualifying—Monaco. Although the Scuderia enjoyed a solid recovery in Sunday’s race at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Vasseur emphasized that their struggles on Saturday significantly hampered their overall weekend.
At Imola, both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton managed to finish strongly in the points after starting from less-than-ideal grid positions. Hamilton made a particularly impressive comeback, climbing from 12th on the grid to finish fourth, while Leclerc took sixth place. However, their underwhelming performance in Saturday’s Qualifying session—where both cars failed to progress beyond Q2—left Vasseur with little room for optimism.
“Our problem was very clear. We were too slow in qualifying, and that compromised our entire weekend,” Vasseur said. “Starting from P11 and P12 made things difficult from the outset. Yes, the recovery in the race was strong. The strategy was solid, the pit stops were well executed, and the drivers did a good job. But we can’t rely on Sunday alone, especially when Saturday is letting us down so consistently.”
This is not a new issue for Ferrari in 2025. One-lap pace has been elusive for the team throughout the season. Despite a standout pole position from Hamilton in Sprint Qualifying in China—a rare highlight—Ferrari’s general performance in traditional qualifying formats has been underwhelming. Leclerc’s best grid position for a Grand Prix this year has been third, while Hamilton hasn’t started higher than fifth on Sunday. These results underscore the team’s ongoing struggle to extract the most from their car in the high-stakes, low-margin conditions of qualifying.
Vasseur’s concern is amplified by the next stop on the calendar: Monaco. The tight, twisty street circuit is notoriously difficult for overtaking, placing even greater emphasis on a strong qualifying result. “In Monaco, if you’re not in the top five on Saturday, your race is basically set. You just can’t pass there unless something dramatic happens. That’s why we need to fix this issue quickly,” he stated.
While Ferrari showed they have good race-day execution—demonstrating competent tire management, solid strategy calls, and clean pit stops—the team knows they cannot afford to continue starting from the midfield. In a field where margins are razor-thin, especially at circuits like Monaco, every position lost on Saturday translates into a much tougher challenge on Sunday.
Vasseur remains focused on addressing these weaknesses. “The team is working hard to understand where we’re losing out in Qualifying. It could be setup-related, it could be tire preparation, or simply that our car is more race-oriented at the moment. But we know that to fight for podiums and wins consistently, we have to get on top of this.”
With the unique challenges of Monaco on the horizon, Ferrari faces a crucial test. If they can’t make meaningful improvements to their one-lap pace, another recovery drive may not be enough to salvage the weekend.
