The Ferrari team principal, Frederic Vasseur, believes that the impressive 1-2 victory at the Australian Grand Prix showed that they are now capable of challenging Red Bull. Despite Red Bull’s domination in recent races, Ferrari managed to take advantage of a rear brake failure on Max Verstappen’s car, allowing Carlos Sainz Jr to take the lead. Sergio Perez’s struggles in the other Red Bull car further solidified Ferrari’s position at the front, with Charles Leclerc also securing a place on the podium. Vasseur acknowledged that this level of performance may not be achieved every weekend, but it demonstrates that when everything falls into place, they can pressure Red Bull. He believes that increased pressure on Red Bull could lead to more errors from their rivals, giving Ferrari the opportunity to close the gap. Despite some disappointment in qualifying, Vasseur noted that the race was focused on tire management and degradation, and Ferrari handled it well.
Verstappen’s retirement and an object under Sergio Perez’s floor hurt Red Bull, but the latter believes that his teammate would have been powerless to defeat Ferrari.
However, this does not make Sainz’s display any less remarkable, given his quick recovery from appendicitis in Saudi Arabia, which impressed Vasseur.
“Undoubtedly, Jeddah was a challenging weekend for Carlos, a challenging weekend for the team,” he added.
“The recovery is extraordinary. You must remember that just two weeks ago he was in the hospital.
“I believe that even on Friday he wasn’t sure if he would be able to drive, but after a few laps, he was up to speed.
“Now it’s as if that [operation] never happened, and he managed to stay focused throughout the weekend, concluding a sensational weekend.”
Leclerc’s journey to second place was not as smooth compared to Sainz’s dominant victory.
The Monegasque made an early pit stop in the first stint to defend against McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, compromising his efforts to match his teammate in the middle part of the race.
However, Leclerc managed to settle in second place in the final segment of the race, ensuring Ferrari achieved its first 1-2 result at the Australian Grand Prix since 2004.
This leaves him just four points behind Verstappen in the driver’s standings, with Ferrari trailing Red Bull by the same margin in the Constructors’ Championship.
“Charles also had a solid performance because, after a less than ideal qualifying session,” commented Vasseur.
“He had to manage the tires, but he managed to recover thanks to the car’s performance.
“He had an exceptional performance in the first and last parts of the race, and securing the fastest lap of the race at the end confirms the progress we have made in terms of tire management.”
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