Vasseur: Canadian GP double DNF decisive in Ferrari title loss

Ferrari's quest for the 2024 Formula 1 Constructors' Championship fell agonizingly short, with McLaren edging the Italian outfit in the final standings by a mere 14 points.

While the season showcased significant progress for the Scuderia, a double DNF in Canada Prix proved, in hindsight, very costly for the team in the context of the  championship.

Team principal Fred Vasseur reflected on the season, highlighting both the costly setbacks and the team's commendable response in the face of adversity.

“For sure it’s a bit of a mixed feeling, because I think that we did a good step forward compared to 2023, I would say on every single pillar,” the Frenchman told the media at Maranello recently, quoted by RACER.

“Reliability was better, the strategy was good, pit stops went well, the performance was there.

"We scored 60 percent more points than one year ago; we have five wins against one. I think , it’s green.”

A Pivotal Moment in Canada

Yet, Ferrari fell just short of McLaren in the final standings. Vasseur highlighted that the decisive moments were spread across the season, with Canada standing out as the most costly weekend.

“The only thing is that we finished the season 14 points behind McLaren. Again it’s not in Abu Dhabi that we lost something. On average during the season, I think McLaren scored 26, 27 points per weekend, and we scored more than this in Abu Dhabi.

“It’s probably more in Canada with double zero, or the summertime when we struggled a little bit — Spain, UK, Austria.

“We struggled here, and in this period of four races, we lost something like 80 or 90 points on McLaren.

“They also have their downsides to the season. It’s like this when you have four teams fighting, that you are always up and down.

“You have a kind of frustration the Sunday evening in Abu Dhabi when you are 14 points behind McLaren. Over 600 , it’s not that much.”

• Read also: Leclerc ‘very proud’ of Ferrari execution in 2024

Vasseur’s frustration with the Canadian Grand Prix was particularly evident.

“If you have a look at this season, the first race that came to my mind when I said, ‘OK we are 14 points behind,’ it’s Canada.

“Canada, we had the double zero with a reliability issue on Charles and I think a race incident for Carlos , and I think that McLaren didn’t have .

“McLaren had a race incident with Piastri, but … they score points, and when you are in this kind of fight with four teams, if you score zero-zero it’s quite tough to come back, which means that reliability is key and we have to avoid the crashes.

“We had one or two crashes, but in this kind of championship that is too much.”

Strength in Adversity

While Canada was a low point, Vasseur praised Ferrari’s resilience in the face of challenges.

The Scuderia’s ability to rebound from setbacks demonstrated a newfound cultural shift within the team, which Vasseur believes will be critical to future championship battles.

“I think the approach this year, as a team, was very good, even when we had the tough June, July,” he said.

“The reaction from the team, as a team, was very good. We never blame someone or department; we work together to come back, we work together to find solutions between the different groups, and it went well.

“You can always say that it would have been better to not have the issue, but I think the reaction was good, and it’s what we are also expecting for the future if we want to fight for the championship. And yes, it’s part of what we want to have.”

Vasseur’s pride in the team’s ability to unite during trying times was evident, as he noted the importance of maintaining composure and teamwork under pressure.

“When you are trying to fix a goal for the team it’s to work as a team, to act as a team, to not blame someone when we have issues.

“It’s easy to say, but it’s not easy to do when you have the pressure of the result and the pressure of the races.

“I was not there before—I can’t judge on the past—but I was very proud of the reaction of the team this year.”

Building Towards 2025

Despite narrowly missing out on glory, Ferrari’s 2024 season offered hope for the future. With a stronger culture, better reliability, and improved teamwork, Vasseur sees the Scuderia as a legitimate contender moving forward.

“The frustration is there, but the positive signs are clear,” he concluded.

“We know where we fell short, and we know how to respond. Canada was tough, but it showed us what we need to do to win.”

As Ferrari looks ahead to 2025, the lessons of 2024 – both the triumphs and the setbacks – may yet serve as the foundation for the House of Maranello’s long-awaited return to the top.

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