La Ferrari there is, but still not enough to be able to attack Red Bull. Verstappen also takes home the Saudi Arabian GP with a double scored by Max Verstappen, obviously the winner, and by Sergio Perez who finishes in second place in the standings. Closing out the podium, however, is the Rossa Leclerc which, together with a super Bearman (seventh), show very positive signs on the SF-24. To comment on their performance at the end of the Saudi Arabian GP, in an exclusive interview on Sky, is the team principal of Ferrari Frederic Vasseur.
Ferrari, Vasseur analyzes the Saudi Arabian GP
Vasseur, did you expect such a strong performance from Bearman?
“Definitely not, even though he had already done very well yesterday in qualifying and we expected something good. She did very well. Even when he had to push to keep Hamilton and Norris behind him he did everything very well: it was a great job."
What is Ferrari missing?
"Overall we have made a good step forward in terms of degradation. We still lack a bit of pace compared to Red Bull. As soon as we have a clear track we can take a step forward, but it is still not enough. It must also be said that a year ago we were much further behind. However, the season is long and we will have many other opportunities."
During the race are you perhaps too worried about preserving?
"We came back very early and, when you have to do 40 laps, you have to pay attention to the tyres. We did the first laps behind a McLaren and damaged the tyres. We were a little conservative at the start of the stint, but I think it was the right choice."
The heavy car penalizes a bit compared to the Red Bull'
"I'm not sure. We're not super fast when it comes to top speed. It's a complex analysis: every time you're in the group it happens. We saw Piastri against Hamilton. Every time one has to overcome he can have difficulties. We have a performance gap against Red Bull."
What do you expect from Australia?
“If I think that we have already seen two different tracks between Bahrain and Jeddah and we have been competitive in both, I think the picture is clear. However, the season is long and many will bring updates. We will continue to work and we must focus on ourselves. We also have to do a good job in Melbourne in the hope of having Sainz back with us."