Fresh off their third victory of 2024 in Monza, there is optimism at the Ferrari camp. The SF-24 is performing well with its new upgrades, and the team’s mid-season gremlins appear to have been addressed. Ferrari are also optimistic about the upcoming races, which should suit their package well.
Fred Vasseur retains unwavering confidence in Ferrari
Since becoming team principal at Ferrari, Fred Vasseur has navigated a series of difficult phases at Maranello.
His first challenge came immediately after his appointment at the beginning of 2023 – leading the Italian outfit through a critical corrective period. Despite the team’s poor foundations to begin the year, an effective upgrade programme saw Ferrari achieve incremental gains.
This proved critical for their solid start to the 2024 season, with the SF-24 building on last year’s package.
Vasseur also oversaw another difficult period in recent months. After taking two victories this year, Ferrari entered a downward spiral with their Spanish GP upgrades. The modifications introduced to the Barcelona circuit were detrimental to the SF-24’s balance.
Despite the looming scepticism about the Scuderia’s trajectory, Fred Vasseur has been consistently upbeat. Even before Leclerc’s Italy win, the French team principal emphasised that fighting for the Championship was not out of the question.
In a similar fashion, Vasseur is confident Ferrari are firmly in the fight:
“I think until the end of the season, it will be like this, that it will be a huge fight.
“And it’s true that with eight cars with this kind of competitiveness that one team can do a 1-2 and also a 7-8.
“I don’t want to speak about DNF, but this can make a huge difference in terms of points. Let’s be focused on Baku first. Step by step, we will see.
“Zandvoort was a difficult one for us for different reasons, and I was convinced that the next three events would probably be a bit better.”
Ferrari in a good position for future development
The next two races are at traditionally strong circuits for Ferrari. The Italian squad usually perform well in Baku and Singapore, and they have already shown strong pace at circuits with similar characteristics in 2024.
However, these venues are not necessarily traditional circuits. Partly because of this, the SF-24’s true strength at more conventional tracks cannot be assessed until the American GP at the Circuit of the Americas.
Regardless, there is no denying that Ferrari are in a good place. Fred Vasseur has only spoken positively about work for the 2025 package.
Assuming the team can maintain their current trajectory and avoid further mistakes, next year’s campaign should be another competitive one for the Italian GP.
