Following Charles Leclerc’s stunning win in Monza, Ferrari is back in what team boss Frederic Vasseur believes will be a ‘huge fight’ for the title
In the hours after Charles Leclerc’s stunning win in the Italian Grand Prix, Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur predicted a “huge fight” for the Formula 1 Constructors’ title.
While Leclerc took home the victory at Monza, the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris joined him on the podium, and with Norris picking up a bonus point for the fastest lap of the race, the Woking-based team closed to within just eight points of Red Bull atop the standings.
However, Leclerc’s win — and a fourth-place finish from Carlos Sainz Jr. — saw Ferrari inch closer to Red Bull as well. Following Leclerc’s emotional victory in the Monaco Grand Prix, Ferrari was just 24 points behind Red Bull at the sharp end of the standings. But a mid-season swoon from Ferrari saw them fade a bit in the standings, and McLaren leap over them for second. At one point, following the British Grand Prix, Ferrari had fallen 71 points behind Red Bull.
But now, they are back in the fight.
“I think it would be a huge mistake to try to draw any conclusions or to change the plan [after winning at Monza],” the team boss commented after Leclerc’s win. “There is a very long way to go until Abu Dhabi, there is something like 450 points on the table.
“It’s so tight, the fight – honestly, I spent a couple of years on the pit wall but it’s the first time I think in F1 we have this situation where eight drivers can win the race, without an accident or crash. Four teams are able to win or be on the podium, and it’s changing from session to session.”
Vasseur expanded on the tight fight this season, pointing out how having four competitive teams means lots of potential results each week.
“For me the most impressive was probably Spa where you had a McLaren in FP1, Red Bull in FP2, we started from pole and Mercedes won the race, and we have the feeling that it is almost like this everywhere, except Lando dominating last weekend in Zandvoort,” continued Vasseur.
“But you can expect that, I think until the end of the season, it will be like this, that it will be a huge fight, and it’s true that with eight cars with this kind of competitiveness that one team can do a one-two and also a seven-eight. I don’t want to speak about DNF, but this can make a huge difference in terms of points. Let’s be focused on Baku first. Step by step we will see.”
Vasseur’s comments post-Monza mirror his message after Norris broke through with his maiden win at the Italian Grand Prix. Speaking to the media, including SB Nation, in the Ferrari hospitality space following that race Vasseur outlined how teams like Ferrari could pressure Red Bull this season, unlike a year ago.
“What is true is that compared to one year ago when we are able to do a good job and to put everything together, we are there, it means that we are putting [Red Bull] a little bit under pressure. They have to take to be a bit more aggressive with the strategy,” described Vasseur in Miami.
“They are not anymore in the comfort zone of last year when last year that doesn’t matter what’s happened after lap two, they were in front and it’s, I think it’s a game changer in the management of the race,” added Vasseur.
“And this, it’s an opportunity for us because that if we are doing another small step, I think that we will be really in a position to fight with them every single weekend.”
Back in Miami Vasseur predicted teams like Ferrari and McLaren would be able to fight Red Bull each weekend.
Now, Vasseur believes that “huge fight” will go down to the wire.
