Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured the final podium position in Jeddah after a sterling effort that saw him deliver impressive late-race pace during the race. Team Principal Fred Vasseur reflected on an F1 Saudi Arabian GP of contrasts for Ferrari, with qualifying struggles ultimately limiting their Sunday potential.
Race pace shines despite Qualifying woes
The Italian team showed impressive race pace throughout the F1 Saudi Arabian GP, particularly during Leclerc’s monster opening stint on the medium tyres. After a strong charge in the latter stages, the Monégasque driver managed to hold off a surging Lando Norris to claim his first podium of the campaign.
“I think we can take this weekend as a positive because we need to step forward at least in the race pace,” Vasseur said after the F1 Saudi Arabian GP. “The race pace was very smooth, and I think that the potential is there. We just have to do a better job when we go there.”
Qualifying remains key area for improvement
Despite the positive race result during the F1 Saudi Arabian GP, Vasseur pinpointed qualifying performance as the team’s primary area for improvement, with Leclerc only managing to start fourth on the grid.
“The biggest thing for us is the difference between quali pace and race pace,” the Frenchman explained. “It is true that we started much slower in quali, and we have to put more focus on this because starting from P4 you are in the dirty air, you lose a couple of seconds the first 5-6 laps, it is difficult to address to get P3, and then you have to put more focus on this, to be much more consistent overall over the weekend.”
Potential is there when starting from the front
Vasseur emphasised how track position is crucial in determining race results, pointing to previous races as evidence.
“We saw in China with Lewis that when you start in front, the race is different. You are in thin air. In the first 5-6 laps, you are making a 6-7 difference compared to minus 6. For us today, it would have been a completely different story.”
This assessment was backed up by the late-race pace shown by Ferrari, with Leclerc proving particularly strong in the final stint.
“When we are fighting, we are faster than Verstappen and Piastri in the last 14 laps of the race,” Vasseur noted. “You are fourth and it is in the behind in quali. It means that you need something more in quali.”
When questioned about Ferrari’s varied performances this season, Vasseur was quick to defend his team and call for perspective in the ultra-competitive 2025 Formula 1 field.
“Dramatically? We did 5 races so far. I know that you want to have the big headlines tomorrow. That I said that this is fucking bullshit. But at the end of the day, we are in competition. You have up and down,” he said.
“When we are up, we are not world champions. We are nowhere. It is just a competition. I am not sure that you draw the same conclusion with Max last week when he was P7. But it is like it is. The competition is tight. You have 10 cars and a couple of tenths.”
Team approach remains vital
Rather than placing blame on any individual, Vasseur stressed the importance of collective improvement as Ferrari looks to build on their Saudi Arabian result.
“It means that the potential is there. It is just that we didn’t put everything together yesterday on our side and perhaps a little bit on Charles’ side also. We have to work together. It is not to finger-point someone. It is just to do a better job collectively. We are working as a team,” he said.
“We just have to stay calm. You can do whatever you want. I don’t want to worry for you. But at least for us as a team, we have to work step by step. And I think he paid off last year. He did hundreds of salutes by hundreds of salutes to keep the same approach.”
With Lewis Hamilton finishing seventh in the second Ferrari, the team will be looking to translate their encouraging race pace into stronger qualifying performances as they seek to challenge the frontrunners consistently throughout the remainder of the season.
