Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur remained upbeat despite a mixed weekend at Spa, emphasizing that the overall team spirit is strong. Charles Leclerc secured his fifth podium of the season with a third-place finish behind both McLaren drivers, while Lewis Hamilton fought back from a pit-lane start to finish seventh. Vasseur acknowledged the positive outcomes but stressed the need for stronger performances from the very start of race weekends.
Hamilton’s Spa outing followed a challenging lead-up that saw him eliminated in the first qualifying segments for both the Sprint and the Grand Prix due to a high-speed spin and track limits violation. However, Vasseur praised Hamilton’s race-day performance, noting his aggressive driving in treacherous conditions and a strong battle with Alex Albon. He emphasized that such recoveries show team resilience but warned that leaving performance on the table early in the weekend cannot continue.
Ferrari introduced a rear suspension upgrade at Spa, which Vasseur admitted was a bold decision considering the limited practice time before Sprint Qualifying. He acknowledged the difficulty of properly testing new components on a Sprint weekend, especially with wet weather conditions, but insisted the early introduction was necessary for optimal preparation ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Vasseur highlighted that while the data from Spa wasn’t ideal, implementing the upgrade was still the right call. He said the limited Friday running made it hard to assess long-run performance, but the experience should help Ferrari be more competitive in Budapest. The focus is now on refining smaller updates rather than launching major development packages as the season nears its end.
Looking ahead, Vasseur pointed out that every team is shifting focus toward next year, though Ferrari will continue introducing small upgrades tailored to individual circuits or weather conditions. He concluded that while the results at Spa showed progress, consistency from the start of each weekend is crucial if the team hopes to achieve podiums or victories in the remaining races.
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