Fred Vasseur: 'Everything went wrong' in Ferrari's Hungarian GP
Fred Vasseur expressed his disappointment with Ferrari's performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where neither Charles Leclerc nor Lewis Hamilton made the podium. Despite promising practice sessions, the race outcome fell short of expectations.
Fred Vasseur didn't mince words when discussing Ferrari's lackluster performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Despite promising practice sessions led by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, the team fell short on race day, with neither driver finishing on the podium.
Ferrari had hoped the Hungaroring's twisty layout would play to their strengths. However, the race didn't unfold as anticipated. Hamilton faced a setback even before the race began, being demoted three places on the grid for blocking Oscar Piastri. Starting the race on soft tyres didn't yield the desired results either, as Leclerc and Hamilton struggled to make significant headway.
While Leclerc found himself mired in fifth place early on, Hamilton briefly tussled with Max Verstappen for a podium spot. Yet, the Red Bull driver managed to reclaim his position after Hamilton's first pit stop. A late race pit stop and a penalty for speeding in the pit lane further complicated Hamilton's race, dropping him to fifth, just behind Leclerc.
Vasseur didn't hold back in his post-race assessment, pointing out that the team's execution was far from what they expected. "When you're P1-P2 on Friday, finishing P4-P5 on Sunday is disappointing," Vasseur remarked. He highlighted several missteps, including a poor start, penalties, and suboptimal pit stops, each costing crucial positions.
The race saw Kimi Antonelli finishing third, extending his lead over Hamilton in the Drivers' standings to 50 points as the summer break approaches. Despite Ferrari's efforts to close the gap on Mercedes throughout the season, Vasseur admits that more than just upgrades are needed.
"Improving execution is key," Vasseur stated, acknowledging that while Ferrari has made progress in some areas, the engine remains a significant focus. He emphasized the importance of consistent development and maintaining momentum, contrasting Ferrari's approach with McLaren's strategy of introducing major updates.
"McLaren takes big steps with their updates, but we aim for steady improvements every race," Vasseur added. "We need to keep pushing forward, as there are still many races to go."
As Ferrari heads into the summer break, the team will be reflecting on what went wrong in Hungary and how to better their performance in the remaining races.