Ferrari targets recovery in Madrid after Monza failure
Frederic Vasseur says Ferrari will arrive at the Spanish Grand Prix with renewed energy after scoring eight points at Monza.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has described the team’s Monza result as a failure and promised a stronger response at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.
Ferrari scored eight points at its home race. Lewis Hamilton recovered from 10th to finish sixth after running wide at the first chicane, while Charles Leclerc crashed on the third lap and retired.
The result came after Ferrari had hoped Hamilton and Leclerc could challenge for victory. Hamilton lacked outright pace in the race, while Leclerc’s crash left the team with limited returns from its home event.
Ferrari’s second and final engine upgrade of the season did not eliminate its weakness on the straights. Vasseur said the team was missing “pure power” and was not expecting either of the two Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities reviews to produce a major immediate recovery.
The team is instead taking smaller steps while targeting a new engine for next year. Ferrari had been assessed as more than four per cent behind Red Bull’s benchmark engine manufacturer after an earlier review, allowing it two engine upgrades this season.
The new Madring circuit in Madrid is described as twistier than Monza, a layout that could reduce the importance of Ferrari’s straight-line deficit, although its competitive effect remains unconfirmed. Sessions for the Spanish Grand Prix are scheduled to begin on Friday, with coverage reported by Sky Sports.
