Team principal Fred Vasseur shared his thoughts on the many overtakes the Japanese GP produced, Ferrari’s third podium of the 2026 F1 season, and how impressed he was by Charles Leclerc’s performance after he crossed the line in P3 on Sunday.
Despite going purple in Sector 1, Leclerc suffered a snap of oversteer on his last effort in qualifying, leaving the Ferrari racer in fourth on Saturday.
As the lights went out at Suzuka, the eight-time race winner got off the line really well, shooting up from fourth to second. However, he lost the position to George Russell on Lap 4 and spent the rest of his first stint rebuffing the efforts of Kimi Antonelli.
Ollie Bearman’s massive crash brought out the Safety Car on Lap 22, and Leclerc was one of the drivers who found himself at a disadvantage, having pitted for the hard tyres five laps earlier.
Nonetheless, the Monégasque staged a determined comeback, passing Russell and then his own teammate to reclaim third spot. What followed was a thrilling duel in the closing stages of the race with the Mercedes driver as he defended his position cleverly.
Russell got ahead momentarily on Lap 51, but Leclerc passed him back immediately with a stunning move round the outside at Turn 1 and ultimately secured the final spot on the podium.
Vasseur’s thoughts on the many overtakes at the 2026 Japanese GP
Sharing his opinions on the action that unfolded during the 2026 Japanese GP, Fred Vasseur surmised post-race that the considerable increase in the number of overtakes at Suzuka in comparison to the past few seasons is beneficial for the sport. Additionally, he asserted that a good spectacle is crucial to tight championship battles and drawing the attention of the spectators.
“First one, I think overall it’s good for F1, good for the championship, good for everybody because it was, I think, a good show.
“That was a lot of overtaking, much more than in the past in Suzuka. And I think this is good in general.”
Ferrari’s third podium of the 2026 F1 season
Commenting on Ferrari’s third consecutive podium of the campaign, Fred Vasseur also commended Leclerc for his masterful defensive drive against Russell and added that it was imperative to finish the 2026 Japanese GP on a high to keep the team motivated ahead of a month-long break.
Moreover, the Frenchman acknowledged their shortcomings relative to Mercedes and proclaimed that they are focused on further developing the SF-26 during the break in April.
“The second point is that for us, it’s the third podium in a row. We want to get more, but I think it was a very, very strong drive from Charles [Leclerc] at the end with Russell.
“It was important for us to keep Mercedes behind and Russell behind us. The last ten laps, it showed to everybody at the factory and to the team that we can do it.
“It’s important, it’s the best way to prepare for the break. We know that we have to push, we know that we have to work and to develop the car, but it’s a long break.”
How impressed Vasseur was by Leclerc’s drive at the 2026 F1 Japanese GP
Asked what impressed him the most about Leclerc’s performance as he brought home a hard-fought podium finish for Ferrari at the 2026 F1 Japanese GP, Fred Vasseur was effusive about the 28-year-old’s clever car placement through the final chicane at the Suzuka Circuit.
The 57-year-old explained how Leclerc deliberately allowed Russell to shoot ahead of him before the detection point and used the overtake mode to immediately retake the position from the Mercedes driver into Turn 1.
Vasseur also reiterated how it was an impressive drive and that Leclerc should take pride in how he fended off Russell to secure his second podium of the 2026 F1 season. Furthermore, he stated that the Italian outfit was quite content with the Monégasque’s punchy performance on Sunday.
“It was a good fight overall and he [Leclerc] was very clever sometimes to let Russell in front in the last chicane, to be able to overtake into Turn 1. He managed this very well with the overtaking mode on Russell.
“We can be happy and he can be proud of what he did today. It was a very, very strong drive.”
