Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur remains defiant ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. The Frenchman is increasingly under pressure at the Italian racing team, as the team has yet to meet high expectations. On the eve of the weekend at the Red Bull Ring, Vasseur warns that the field will also be closely matched in Spielberg, but that Ferrari is determined to take on the ‘great challenge’ and deliver the ‘best possible performance’.
The pressure on team principal Frédéric Vasseur is only increasing with the lack of desired results at Ferrari. According to various Italian media, the Frenchman has until the British Grand Prix to turn the tide. Ferrari is the only top team still waiting for a first victory this season, but in the preview of the Austrian Grand Prix, Vasseur only talks about delivering the ‘best possible performance’ at the Red Bull Ring.
“A Formula 1 car needs just over a minute to complete a lap on the Spielberg circuit, which means that the field is closely matched in terms of lap time,” Vasseur looks ahead. “A thousandth of a second can make a big difference. It will be crucial to get everything together. The fact that seven out of ten corners are right-hand corners combined with large altitude differences only increases the challenge.”
‘Best possible performance’
Yet the team principal is combative. “We have worked hard in Maranello to ensure that all necessary elements come together in such a way that we can deliver the best possible performance,” reveals Vasseur. “Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and the entire team are determined to do their best on a circuit that often delivers one of the most spectacular races of the season.” In 2024, Ferrari, with Carlos Sainz at the wheel, achieved a podium finish in Spielberg, partly due to the collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris during the race.
