Vasseur Confident Despite Ferrari's Missed Victory in Mexico

Despite an impressive front-row lockout in the recent Mexican Grand Prix, Ferrari's aspiration to transform their qualifying dominance into a race victory remains unfulfilled.

Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur's reflections post-race encapsulated a blend of optimism and frustration, highlighting the challenges and progress of the team.

Charles Leclerc secured a spot on the podium, marking his first appearance there since the Belgian Grand Prix. Carlos Sainz, trailing closely, secured fourth place, consistent with his performance in the previous race in Austin, although an after-race advancement had then placed him in the top three.

This race marked Ferrari's fourth pole in six races, a testament to their qualifying strength. However, their race pace visibly trails behind their rivals Red Bull and Mercedes, a situation that Vasseur candidly described as "so, so." He acknowledged the team's solid performance in qualifying and their initial race phase but expressed disappointment in not converting their pole positions into wins.

"We are disappointed starting from the first row to finish third and fourth, and also with the physiognomy of the race as I think we were in a good shape in the first part with the car of Charles a bit damaged," Vasseur said. He lamented the car's lack of pace on the hard tires, a crucial factor that hindered their race progress.

The race was not without its drama, particularly at the outset with a Turn 1, Lap 1 incident involving Max Verstappen, Leclerc, and local favorite Sergio Perez. The collision led to Perez crashing out and Leclerc's vehicle sustaining a damaged front wing. Vasseur humorously referred to the incident as a "sandwich," relieved that Ferrari's situation wasn't worse.

"What can you do, when you are three side by side like this? I think Charles, he had nowhere to go and Checo had to turn also, Max was close to the kerb, I think there is no one to blame on this," Vasseur explained, dissecting the dynamics of the crash.

Despite these setbacks, Vasseur remains hopeful, emphasizing the team's need to maintain their qualifying momentum and improve their performance on different tire compounds. He believes the team is on the brink of success: "Let’s continue the pole positions, try to have the same pace we had on the medium [tyre]… and I think we are not far away, we just have to put everything together."

As the Ferrari team looks ahead, balancing their strong qualifying performances with a strategy to boost their race pace will be crucial. Vasseur's mixed feelings reflect a team on the cusp of greater achievements, poised to translate their potential into tangible results. Ferrari's journey illustrates the relentless challenge of Formula 1 racing – where securing pole positions is just one piece of the victory puzzle.