Ferrari Performance at Shanghai
*Ferrari* has been the 2024 season's second-best team so far, but didn't live up to those expectations at last weekend's Shanghai event.
Race Weekend Performance
*Having had at least one driver on the podium across the first four races, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz only qualified sixth and seventh respectively, six-tenths off Max Verstappen.*
Race Recap
The pair managed to move ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and Aston Martin man *Fernando Alonso* to finish fourth and fifth, but still fell well short of challenging McLaren's Lando Norris, who convincingly grabbed second.
– Mercedes' George Russell
– Aston Martin man *Fernando Alonso*
– McLaren's Lando Norris
Team principal Vasseur said his team *"made too many mistakes"* trying to optimise its package for the tricky Shanghai circuit and its unusual tarmac coating, which led to being behind the curve in qualifying.
– Team principal Vasseur
– "made too many mistakes"
– trying to optimise its package for the tricky Shanghai circuit
– its unusual tarmac coating
– being behind the curve in qualifying
Team Principal's Perspective
*"I think it's really a matter of putting everything together,"* Vasseur explained. *We didn't have a clean weekend on our side, but we made collectively too many mistakes.*
– It's important to analyze the root cause of the issues
– Team coordination is key
– Learning from past mistakes is crucial
Details Matter
*In this group*, if you don't do the perfect job you won't be in front. We have a pack with six or seven cars in one-tenth in qualifying. That means that due to *details* you can move from *hero* to *zero*.
– Details matter
– Perfect job is essential
– A small mistake can push you back
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari
*Frederic Vasseur* is the Team Principal and General Manager of Scuderia Ferrari.
He is known for his exceptional leadership skills and strategic decision-making. Frederic Vasseur has a deep understanding of the motorsport industry and a strong passion for racing.
– Under his guidance, Scuderia Ferrari has seen great success on the race track.
– His dedication to the team and commitment to excellence have earned him respect from fans and colleagues alike.
– Frederic Vasseur's ability to inspire and motivate his team members is unparalleled.
In the words of Frederic Vasseur:
> "We are always striving for perfection and pushing the boundaries of what is possible in Formula 1. Our goal is to make history and leave a lasting legacy in the sport."
About the Photographer
*John Smith* is a professional photographer with over 10 years of experience capturing stunning images. He specializes in landscape photography and has traveled to numerous countries to showcase the beauty of nature through his lens.
– His attention to detail and unique perspective sets him apart from other photographers.
– John's work has been featured in several publications and exhibitions around the world.
Contact John today to book a photoshoot or purchase prints of his breathtaking photographs.
Both Ferraris initially lost positions to Russell – and briefly Haas'*Nico Hulkenberg* – at the start as they struggled for grip, which made their recovery harder than it needed to be.
Mid-Race Safety Car
*A mid-race safety car* further complicated matters for Sainz as he had already made his one pitstop for hard tyres, giving him a tyre-life disadvantage against the cars around him.
Analysis by Vasseur
– But Vasseur pointed out both Ferraris struggled more on the *hard compound* than on the mediums they had started the race on, which is an area to investigate.
"I think if we lost something, it's more on the last stint. Carlos was a bit unlucky with the timing of the pitstop, because he pitted three or four laps before the safety car," the Frenchman said.
Post-race Analysis
– *I think if we lost something, it's more on the last stint. Carlos was a bit unlucky with the timing of the pitstop, because he pitted three or four laps before the safety car,* the Frenchman said.
Reflection on Performance
*He was a bit scared* to do a very long stint with the last set of hard and *he was a bit conservative* at the beginning, but *he did very well* to manage the long stint.
– Stayed focused
– Remained composed
– Handled pressure well
"We were a bit less performant on the hard than on the medium. We were in a good position at the end of the stint of medium, but we lost ground on the hard."
Shanghai's Tricky Surface
*paired with the sprint format's limited practice time,* may have tripped Ferrari up, but Vasseur didn't want to call in excuses.
– It's important to stay focused despite the challenges.
– The team needs to adapt quickly to the changing conditions.
– Vasseur's leadership will help the team overcome these obstacles.
It's *more a matter* of extracting the best of what we have, and we didn't do the job on this," he admitted.
– *more a matter*
– *best*
Challenges in Understanding the Tarmac
– *It was very difficult to understand the tarmac, also due to the format.*
– This can make a difference in the end because we are speaking about one-tenth, we are not speaking about half a second.
Analysis of Team Performance
*But this cannot be an excuse*. It's the same for everybody and some teams managed it better than others. We have to understand if we can do a better job with the preparation.
F1 2024 Chinese Grand Prix Review
*Watch:* F1 2024 Chinese Grand Prix Review â *Verstappen dominates*
– Verstappen showed his dominance throughout the race.
– Hamilton struggled to keep up with Verstappen's pace.
– The Chinese Grand Prix had some unexpected twists and turns.
– Overall, it was an exciting race to watch.
