Team principal Fred Vasseur opened up about Ferrari’s qualifying woes and what their expectations are heading into the F1 Monaco GP following their impressive turnaround on Sunday in Imola.
Charles Leclerc made history last season as he became the first Monégasque to conquer the streets of Monte Carlo in 93 years. With former driver Carlos Sainz rounding off the podium, Ferrari undoubtedly left the Principality on a high note.
However, taking into account their ongoing struggles in qualifying and in low-speed corners, it remains to be seen whether the Scuderia can pull something out of their hat this time around in Monaco.
Crucial for Ferrari to nail qualifying in Monaco
Speaking in a print media session after the F1 race in Imola, Fred Vasseur acknowledged how qualifying pace plays a more consequential role at the Monaco GP than in any other race weekend.
Alluding to their double Q2 exit in Imola, the Frenchman noted that it’s imperative for Ferrari to resolve their struggles over a single lap if they wish to bring home satisfactory results this Sunday.
“Next weekend, Monaco, on Saturday evening, it will be almost done. It means we need to be much more performant on Saturday.
“Monaco is probably a bit different in terms of tyre management, but we have to do a much better job on Saturday.”
Vasseur doubtful if Ferrari will be ready
In terms of how concerned Ferrari are about qualifying for the F1 Monaco GP and whether they have a course of action to mitigate their issues, Fred Vasseur admitted that, unlike Imola, it would be significantly more difficult to turn things around on Sunday if they fail to deliver on Saturday.
Reiterating that tyre management usually takes a back seat in Monaco, Vasseur touched on how important it is to gradually build on the race weekend here. Although hesitant to proclaim that Ferrari would be ready for the challenge, the 56-year-old nonetheless emphasised the curveballs this demanding street circuit can throw and turn one’s fortunes around.
“I worry if we are not able to do a better job than this weekend, for sure the weekend will be much more difficult next week.
“Now Monaco, it’s a different story in terms of tyre management, preparation, and so on. We start from scratch, and step by step we will catch up, we will understand the issue, and we will do a better job in the future now.
“Monaco, I don’t know if we’ll be ready, but again Monaco it’s another story.”
New pit stop rules for Monaco coming into effect this weekend
Following a collision amongst Sergio Pérez, Nico Hülkenberg, and Kevin Magnussen on the opening lap of the race in Monaco last year, drivers were able to bolt on a second tyre compound under red flag conditions.
With the majority of drivers not making further pit stops and the top ten crossing the line in grid order for the first time in F1 history, the processional race drew plenty of criticism for generating lower-than-usual action.
Therefore, to facilitate more action and entertainment, the FIA has modified the Sporting Regulations to require two mandatory pit stops for the F1 Monaco GP this year.
Vasseur unsure of the effectiveness of mandatory two stops
Asked if the two-stop strategy at the F1 Monaco GP would be beneficial for Ferrari, Fred Vasseur labelled it as a reactive measure. Acknowledging that the Grand Prix last year might’ve been underwhelming for the viewers, he nevertheless remarked that it was a very exciting and successful weekend for the team.
Furthermore, Vasseur also insisted that one shouldn’t draw hasty conclusions regarding the efficacy of the new rules. Implying that the FIA shouldn’t permanently alter the flow of the Grand Prix Sunday in Monaco based on the outcome of a single race, he explained how the streets of Monte Carlo might reproduce a similar race this weekend given the high likelihood of Safety Car interventions over 78 laps.
“The two-stop strategy, I think we are reacting [to last year].
“For sure, last year, with the red flag at the beginning, Monaco was a bit strange. But for me, it was very exciting. It was a very good weekend, very positive. But I can understand that for the fans, it was a bit harsh.
“But we have to pay attention. I’m okay to do the test in Monaco this year, but we have to pay attention. But if we have a Safety Car, Lap 5, and in Monaco it’s not impossible, everybody will pit. And with 20 cars into the pit lane in Monaco.”
