Frédéric Vasseur: “I expect to still be among the best”
“The first race of the season confirmed to us that we have worked in the right direction during the winter,” said Frédéric Vasseur, while recognizing that the gap to Max Verstappen is still substantial.
“The gap to Max Verstappen in the race is still significant,” he commented.
The team leaves Ferrari with some positive sensations and optimism heading into Jeddah.
In Saudi Arabia, however, there will be no shortage of challenges.
This track represents very different challenges and characteristics to the opener in Sakhir.
“In Jeddah, we are awaited by a completely different test bed,” declared the Ferrari team principal.
“We want to verify that what good the SF-24 has shown in these first weeks is also confirmed on such a different track.”
One of the biggest obstacles in Bahrain was tyre management, owing to the asphalt.
Since Jeddah is a street circuit, the surface will be smoother. Therefore, the tyres will be far easier to manage. Fred Vasseur expects degradation to be minimal.
This should help teams that struggled most with the tyres in Bahrain.
At the same time, however, the Ferrari team principal underlined there are still pitfalls:
“For the first time, we will find high-speed corners which will highlight the load and aerodynamic efficiency aspects of the cars.”
Another important factor will be tracke evolution, which will occur session after session.
However, the expectations of the day before go hand in hand with the sensations left by the weekend in Sakhir:
“Charles and Carlos have always felt at ease in Jeddah.
“I expect to still be among the best, in a position to compete for important results with both drivers both in qualifying and in the race.”
The F1 Academy starts in Jeddah, the perspectives of FDA manager Jock Clear
Jock Clear, head of the Ferrari Driver Academy, also discussed the preparations for Ferrari’s juniors.
In Jeddah, the spotlight will be on the F1 Academy, with the first of the seven seasonal rounds.
A collaboration between Tatuus, Autotecnica and Breda Racing forges these cars. Scuderia Ferrari will be represented by Maya Weug, who will race in the Maranello livery.
Aurelia Nobels, the other FDA driver, will instead take to the track with the colours of her partner, Puma.
The all-female championship will see all 10 F1 teams compete, represented on the track by a driver of their choice.
Maya Weug, who will wear red, demonstrated her talent well in the European Regional Formula last year. Aurelia Nobels, meanwhile, comes from 2023, having competed in the Italian Formula 4 championship.
“The F1 Academy is an invaluable launching pad for young female drivers, who will be able to count on a promoter with great vision, a high-level organizational structure and a very dynamic communications team, all key factors for a successful campaign.”
Thus Jock Clear, who underlined the importance of the championship not only in terms of opportunities for the girls who compete in it, but also from the point of view of a source of inspiration for future generations.
The FDA manager then highlighted the importance of the emotional part of preparation work:
“One of the key points is learning to manage expectations. They have the spotlight on them, and that always generates pressure.
“But my advice will always be to have fun.
“They are young, they are chasing their dream. And the best way to achieve their goals is always to enjoy the journey, step by step.”
Author: Loris Preziosa
Translation: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
