The Ferrari of Frederic Vasseur is hovering. Fireworks in Components 1 this week, women and gents, and never a budget form. The Maranello crew from the US and Mexico has spoiled us with victories and report laptimes, managing to rekindle the fireplace of hope even in probably the most skeptical followers who’re pessimistic by nature. Not way back, we’d have paid a fortune for this outcome, and now that we’ve it, we will hardly consider it and are astonished. Maybe it’s too nice a present that we didn’t anticipate, we who’ve change into sadly accustomed to the misfortunes of this sport.
However what has modified? If we factor about it, it has barely been a month since Frederic Vasseur’s final statements, which touted this phantom “group” that was supposed to avoid wasting the drifting ship referred to as Ferrari. And all (or nearly all) of us thought: “Oh expensive, the same old guarantees we had heard for thus lengthy from the previous Ferrari crew principal Mattia Binotto“. But, for as soon as, Frederic Vasseur appears to have seen the longer term. It’s true that, because the saying goes, even a damaged clock is correct twice a day, but when we wish to be irreproachably optimistic, what can we consider his newest statements?
Sure, as a result of nobody really has a magic wand, however there are those that fake to have one, and who is aware of, possibly it really works out for them a bit. Listening to Frederic Vasseur’s voice on the F1 media microphones, every thing appears completely rosy and flowery; in reality, let’s additionally mock our most formidable opponents, “allow them to wage struggle.” It fits us so long as they throw a wrench within the works. And, as they are saying, between the 2 who quarrel, the third one advantages. The Frenchman is hopeful. He sees success forward and is already aiming for the following race, however in line with him, in Brazil the Maranello engineers and technicians must begin from scratch.
We derive a consistently reworking crew that usually appears to lose its basic pillars, however when it finds them once more, it does so for actual. Certainly, what the Ferrari crew principal believes is that the Italian aspect will likely be aggressive till the tip. And all of us hope so. Above all, we want to relive the feelings of the final two Grands Prix. A totally reworked crimson automotive that appears to have regained braveness and potential, that “sparkle” it misplaced within the final 5 months after the horrific aerodynamic replace launched by Ferrari on the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain. Now the Maranello crew appears to have returned to shine, and Frederic Vasseur is savoring each second of it.
The vital factor is to remain targeted and at all times look one step (and just one) forward. In any case, our Ferrari loves surprises, and they aren’t at all times optimistic, as we all know it very effectively. The “sports activities miracle” has been achieved for now, a feared crimson crew that does is now not afraid to problem its opponents. The Constructors’ Championship? It’s attainable. From the third place it occupied, sluggish and discontented, the crew from Maranello is now trying down at its Austrian rivals. The restoration has been completely spectacular. Carlos Sainz’s victory on the 4.304-kilometre Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico Metropolis and Charles Leclerc’s third place have given a robust enhance to the historic crew, propelling it on to second place, simply 29 factors behind McLaren forward of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
So if the drivers’ championship appeared like a forbidden dream, the constructors’ championship is now nearly inside attain, particularly once we carefully observe the multitude of errors that Ferrari’s rivals have been making in current races. McLaren, above all, seems to be its personal worst enemy. It appears unbelievable, however for that reason or that, different groups are displaying indicators of weak spot and nervousness, whereas Frederic Vasseur’s Ferrari, which has already endured greater than sufficient fatigue, is freely navigating via the raindrops, remaining dry.
And in the Mexican race, certainly, something can occur; whether or not it was the 20-second penalty for Max Verstappen or the Alex Albon – Yuki Tsunoda incident. The actual fact is that Ferrari discovered itself in the correct place on the proper time and simply needed to hit the accelerator. Carlos Sainz managed the state of affairs excellently, displaying from the beginning of the Mexican weekend that he was fired up and keen to realize this aim, nearly wanting to provide his crew a pleasant slap: “You wish to ship me away? I’ll show you the potential you’re shedding.”
In the meantime, we’ve to say that Mercedes continues to be ready for the 2026 Components 1 championship to shine, however our almost-number 44 isn’t notably distinguishing himself and takes a myriad of laps to overhaul teammate George Russell. Due to this fact, all he can purpose for is a step under the winners’ podium. A Ferrari that we like, that has character, but it surely should additionally watch out to not overdo it and to handle the state of affairs with readability, or it dangers retracing Pink Bull’s fall, which appears to have pushed so arduous on the accelerator that it has run out of gas.
Within the meantime, let’s hope that Frederic Vasseur’s feedback are prophetic and that we will absolutely take pleasure in these final races of the 2024 Components 1 championship, now that Ferrari lastly appears conscious of its capabilities and has nothing to lose. The Ferrari F1 crew is decided to provide it its all, with out hiding and with out that primal concern of constructing errors that usually led to errors within the not so distant previous. There are nonetheless 4 races left to exhibit that Frederic Vasseur’s crimson crew just isn’t a mirage, however a well-established construction on which to construct future successes in Components 1.
— see video above —