Ferrari’s Imola weekend was a tale of two days: a dismal Saturday followed by a spirited Sunday recovery, with Lewis Hamilton clawing his way from 12th to fourth, while Charles Leclerc battled from 11th to sixth.
Solid points, sure, but team boss Fred Vasseur wasn’t rejoicing in the achievement, as the Scuderia’s persistent qualifying woes are a glaring problem. And with Monaco looming, Vasseur is bluntly demanding a fix.
Starting mid-pack on the Principality’s tight streets is a recipe for disaster, so Ferrari’s one-lap pace must improve – fast.
Sunday Recovery Can’t Mask Saturday Shortfall
“The issue is that we were much slower in quali yesterday, and then we start from P11 to P12,” said Vasseur, pointing to the root of Ferrari’s weekend struggles in Imola.
“The weekend is difficult, but the recovery is good. Today was a good race with a very good strategy, well executed, good pit stops.”
The race itself showed signs of promise. Hamilton’s charge was helped by a long first stint on the hard tyre, while Leclerc started on mediums and made steady progress.
But the Monegasque was briefly under the microscope when a late-race tangle with Williams’ Alex Albon saw the Briton in the gravel. With stewards potentially preparing a penalty, Ferrari intervened.
“We were clearly at risk. With five seconds, Charles would have been 10th or 11th. We had the feeling that they were more going in the direction of the penalty,” Vasseur explained.
“That's why we asked him to swap. I was a bit surprised with the fact that we had more overtaking than expected. When it's difficult and you have almost only one corner to overtake, it's a bit all-in on this one.”
But Ferrari knows they can’t rely on recovery drives in Monaco, where the tight street layout offers next to no room to make up places once the lights go out.
Qualifying Gains Now a Monaco Imperative
“I don't think that we have the best car. Even when we are in good shape in the race, we are not faster than the McLaren,” Vasseur admitted.
“We are there, probably, but not fast enough. What is clear is that over the last three or four races, we have always had a much better pace in the race than in qualifying.”
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Leclerc laments Ferrari’s form: ‘I just cannot accept the situation’That imbalance between Saturday and Sunday performance has frustrated Ferrari’s leadership – and Vasseur is urging an immediate reset.
“There is a bit of frustration for us. For sure, we need to put all our effort on this. Next weekend, Monaco, on Saturday evening, it will be almost done,” he warned.
“We have to [have] much more performance on Saturday. Monaco is probably a bit different on tyre management. We have to do a much better job on Saturday next week.”
For Ferrari, the equation is simple: qualifying must improve, or podium ambitions will remain just out of reach.
The Italian outfit must channel every ounce of effort into unlocking one-lap speed. Another Q2 exit will leave them stranded in the midfield, watching rivals like McLaren disappear into the Monte Carlo sunset. The clock is ticking, and Vasseur knows it.
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