In the space of a few months Ferrari has returned to Suzuka to demonstrate that we have made steps forward compared to last season. An objective that can be said to have been achieved, net of the double by Red Bull which reaffirms its superiority. Carlos Sainz finished third, 20 seconds behind the Dutchman, while Charles Leclerc recovered from eighth place in qualifying to fourth. However, the most important answers were given by the SF-24, still in its "basic" form without updates. At Ferrari there was already optimism after the first feedback on the race pace simulations. This optimism was also rewarded by the excellent strategy which allowed the team to once again maximize the result in the race, making up for the qualification, which is still the weak point of this single-seater born following a first year of transition at Ferrari . So let's see the words of the Red team principal, Frederic Vasseur at the end of the Japanese GP.
“I think it went well for both riders, both on the strategy side and on that of tire management. If we missed anything over the weekend it was yesterday, but today went very well. Carlos drove a solid race, and Charles had an excellent recovery from eighth place, it was excellent team work", said the Ferrari team principal to the microphones of sky sports f1.
Vasseur's words on strategies
Ferrari has one objective this year, which is to fight for the Constructors' Championship. Seeing the first responses from the drivers and the car, this result does not seem unattainable.
In Suzuka, much of the race was decided on strategy, an area in which Ferrari, unlike Mercedes and McLaren, was ready, despite having to manage two completely different situations, with Sainz starting from the second row and Leclerc forced to reassemble. The red flag on the first lap, the absence of safety or virtual safety and the high degradation forced the teams to review their strategies.
As we said, the situations of Sainz and Leclerc were different, and this also led the team to dare more with the Monegasque who pushed himself into a very long stint on the mediums, which allowed him to make just one stop. The podium would hardly have arrived, especially with a different strategy.
“I think the fastest strategy was the two-stop strategy, we decided to change Charles' one more for the position on the track than for the traffic. I don't think second place was possible, even though we lost ground at the start behind Lando Norris to avoid the dirty air. Overall it went very well and I think the strategy was the right one."
“Today the degradation was under control and we didn't get far from setting the fastest lap, so it means that this part of the weekend wasn't bad. We need to improve a bit in qualifying, it's almost the opposite situation compared to last year. Without a doubt we have to improve on Saturday, also with Charles, because in the race it becomes more difficult when you start from eighth place than when you start from the front row, and this will be the objective for China."
The Sainz-Leclerc fight
One of the two has a multi-year contract, the other is in the process of moving. Two opposite situations, but which come together in the single objective of bringing home the best possible result. At least in reality, because on social media we often see them compared, rather than seeing them as a single whole. And this is given by the paradox of running separated at home. They already consider themselves as two separate entities. Everyone has their own garage, everyone has their own race engineer. But both are fighting for a common goal: the constructors' championship.
Although both enjoy the trust of the team principal, every opportunity for confrontation becomes a fight in the eyes of some fans, even considering the obviousness of some situations. Like the one in Suzuka, in which two drivers started from completely opposite situations, with different strategies. With a different qualifying we would probably have seen a different situation, a real fight for the podium. But in these conditions, battling with Sainz for the podium, a topic discussed post-race by Vasseur, would have just been a crazy move.
“The two drivers were not on the same strategy, so Charles and Carlos had 1"5 difference in potential when they were close together, and there wasn't even a fight. I am convinced that Carlos' strategy was the best, but Charles' strategy was also good. So far we are very focused on the car we have to make the most of our package. At the moment we are not at an optimal level, we need to focus on the set-up, on tire management, and then we will be able to bring updates at more suitable times of the season."
Ferrari therefore leaves Japan with the awareness of still being far from Red Bull but the second undisputed force on different types of track. There is still room for improvement, and before working on the evolutionary step the team wants to be sure that it has made the most of its potential.
