Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur Believes Championship Could Shift After Miami
Ferrari's Vasseur targets race wins despite Mercedes' early-season edge
Ferrari heads into the Suzuka weekend with two podium finishes from the first three races of the season. Charles Leclerc secured fourth on the grid for the Japanese Grand Prix in qualifying, while Lewis Hamilton lined up sixth.
When asked by Sky Italia after qualifying whether he was satisfied with the team's start to the season, the Frenchman gave a measured response: "Yes and no. No, because our goal isn't just to finish on the podium—it's to win races. That means we still have a performance gap to Mercedes, and that's clear."
Despite a clear deficit to Mercedes in the opening rounds, Vasseur remains convinced that staying within striking distance in the standings is crucial, as the championship dynamic could change from Miami onward: "Overall, we're not far off, and we know the championship could take a different turn starting in Miami. We need to keep scoring points, finishing on the podium, and staying close to Mercedes."
He concluded: "We have to stay in the fight for the championship. The rate of development across the field will be extremely high, so we'll need to push hard in the coming months to build up points and results."
Hamilton Tempers Expectations: "This Usually Doesn't End Well"
The seven-time world champion does not believe further tweaks to qualifying will significantly help Ferrari close the gap to pole position. In Japan, he downplayed hopes of a major impact but still expressed optimism that meaningful adjustments could be introduced. He acknowledged a clear performance deficit compared to Mercedes, suggesting the difference may stem from factors like turbo size, engine power, or other unknown variables.
