“I have to enjoy tonight”: Frederic Vasseur on Charles Leclerc’s Italian GP win giving Ferrari a momentum boost

Frederic Vasseur believes that Charles Leclerc winning the Italian GP has given Ferrari a boost in the championship race. Speaking to media, including Sportskeeda, after the race, the Frenchman said that the championship is tight and the momentum could change from weekend to weekend.

Leclerc's win in Monza left Ferrari only 31 points adrift of McLaren and 39 points adrift of Red Bull. The constructors' championship, as it stands, is evolving into a three-way battle with eight races left on the calendar. Although Vasseur feels that focusing on Baku wasn’t a priority after the race, he does think that it will be important to make the best of every weekend with Red Bull struggling. One year ago, the dominance of the reigning champions made it difficult for rivals to fathom a level playing field.

Asked by Sportskeeda if he expects the momentum in the championship to continue into Baku and Singapore, the Ferrari team principal said:

“No, I will think about Baku tomorrow morning. I have to enjoy tonight. But in Zandvoort, I was I was convinced that the Zandvoort was a difficult one for us on the paper for different reasons. And I was convinced that the next three events would be probably a bit better. But Monza was better, and in Zandvoort we were nine tenths off in qualifying and here we were a tenth off. And in Baku it all depends on our car and that's it.”

Reflecting on Ferrari's situation from 2023 compared to now, Vasseur said:

“What is true is that compared to one year ago, when we are able to do a good job and to put everything together, we are there, it means that we are putting [Red Bull] a little bit under pressure. They have to be a bit more aggressive with the strategy. They are not anymore in the comfort zone. Last year it didn't matter what happened after lap two, they were in front and I think it’s a game changer in the management of the race. And this is an opportunity for us because if we are doing another small step, I think that we will be really in a position to fight with them every single weekend.”

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Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur believes the constructors' championship will go down to the wire

Frederic Vasseur believes the constructors' championship race will go down to the wire and Ferrari cannot take the Monza victory for granted. He feels the margins are getting smaller and it will be a tight battle with more than 450 points on the table to grab until the finale in Abu Dhabi. Therefore, he feels the championship will be a ‘huge’ fight until the last race. He reckons that it is the first time in F1 that there are eight drivers capable of winning the race every weekend.

Although Ferrari's victory in Monaco was a straightforward one, the one in Monza was against the odds. Its pace surprised rivals like Red Bull and McLaren, who were not expecting it to be anywhere near the top three podium spots.

Commenting on Ferrari and its position in the championship, Vasseur said:

“I think it would be a huge mistake to try to draw any conclusions or to change the plan [after winning at Monza]. There is a very long way to go until Abu Dhabi, there is something like 450 points on the table. It’s so tight, the fight – honestly, I spent a couple of years on the pit wall but it’s the first time I think in F1 we have this situation where eight drivers can win the race, without an accident or crash. Four teams are able to win or be on the podium, and it’s changing from session to session.”

Further outlining his expectations for the upcoming races, the Ferrari team principal said:

“For me the most impressive was probably Spa where you had a McLaren in FP1, Red Bull in FP2, we started from pole and Mercedes won the race, and we have the feeling that it is almost like this everywhere, except Lando dominating last weekend in Zandvoort. But you can expect that, I think until the end of the season, it will be like this, that it will be a huge fight, and it’s true that with eight cars with this kind of competitiveness that one team can do a one-two and also a seven-eight. I don’t want to speak about DNF, but this can make a huge difference in terms of points. Let’s be focused on Baku first. Step by step we will see.”

In the drivers' championship, Leclerc is currently third with a total of 217 points. He is 24 points behind Lando Norris and 86 points behind Max Verstappen. Ferrari is in third place, 39 points behind reigning champions Red Bull and 31 points behind McLaren. The Maranello team upgraded its car in Monza and could be strong at circuits like Baku and Singapore. Ferrari's resurgence could play havoc at the front, particularly for Red Bull, as it continues to struggle.