Ferrari leaves Singapore with a bittersweet balance: a fifth place for Charles Leclerc and a seventh for Carlos Sainz, a result that, although positive compared to starting from the fifth row, does not reflect the true potential of the SF-24. The Singapore Grand Prix, always one of the most treacherous races of the season due to the characteristics of the street circuit, had been marked by the Prancing Horse as a crucial event to collect important points. However, the difficulties encountered in qualifying compromised the possibility of fighting for the podium, despite a solid race and a competitive pace.
At the end of the weekend, team principal Frederic Vasseur wanted to take stock of the Singapore GP which, on the one hand, showed Ferrari's good race pace, but on the other highlighted the frustration over a Saturday in which the Scuderia failed to express its true potential.
Tough Qualifying and Race Comeback: Vasseur's Review in Singapore
The highlight of the Singapore weekend was qualifying, where Ferrari saw a potential front row spot slip away due to a mix of mistakes and bad luck. Vasseur explained that the team failed to make the most of the window of opportunity that was available after the red flag that interrupted Q3, with issues related to tyre management and track conditions.
“It’s always nice to finish the weekend on a positive note and we had a good race today,” said Vasseur, sounding optimistic despite the disappointment. “On the other hand, having a race like that only makes you more frustrated after a bad Saturday. However, I’d rather be frustrated on Sunday night after a bad Saturday but a good race than be frustrated after a bad race.”
Problems with electric blankets on Saturday? Vasseur clarifies
Vasseur wanted to clarify the incident in qualifying for the Singapore GP, which saw Leclerc and Sainz lose valuable positions on the grid: “In Q2 we were competitive, second at one tenth off the best time, but in Q3 we only had one useful lap because of the red flag. In these situations, you fight for the tenth of a second, trying to find every kilometre per hour possible. We made a mistake in Turn 1 and the possibility of a good position on the grid slipped away from us”.
One of the most discussed issues was the issue of the tyres being too cold on the decisive lap in qualifying, an issue that Leclerc highlighted in his post-session comments. Vasseur wanted to explain what happened: “I think it wasn’t related to the tyre warmers. When we were ready to leave the pits, everyone was playing games to avoid being the first on the track. This led us to stop at the exit of the garage and lose temperature. Despite this, the tyres were almost back in condition, but it is true that we arrived at Turn 2 with less than optimal tyres. With only one lap available, you always try to get the maximum and this penalised us”.
Looking to Austin: Updates and Hopes for the Future
Despite the difficulties in qualifying, Ferrari showed a good race pace, with Leclerc managing to keep up with Lando Norris in the closing stages of the race, an encouraging sign for the upcoming races. Vasseur highlighted this positive aspect, showing confidence in the team’s potential: “I don’t know if Lando was pushing hard in the last 20 laps, but our pace was similar and that’s encouraging. Our goal today was not to compete with Norris, but to try to come back and bring home as many points as possible.”
With his eyes already set on the next round in Austin, Texas, Vasseur confirmed that Ferrari will bring further updates to the SF-24, while stressing that the other teams will do the same. The aim is to maintain a high level of competitiveness at a stage of the season where every small improvement can make a difference: “We all know that we have already started the development of the car for next year. We will try to do our best to have small updates at the next race. I think they will be the last ones for everyone. They will help us, but it will be the same for the other teams as well. In the last six races we have seen such a close fight that every single piece can make a difference.”
Statement source: FormulaPassion
