Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur was disappointed with the outcome of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where the team struggled to find the pace to challenge competitors ahead for a stronger haul of points.
“Overall, we can’t be satisfied with today’s result. We did not have the pace we were expecting from our car, especially on the Hard tyre. There was also a big gap in our performance level between qualifying and the race.”
Ferrari found themselves behind the likes of Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, with Carlos Sainz crossing the line in sixth place, dropping down from a starting position of fourth, and Charles Leclerc finishing just behind in seventh.
Though displeased with their finishing position, Vasseur pointed out that there were some highlights amid the team’s effort in Jeddah, including Leclerc’s swift recovery from his grid penalty, which saw him improve well into the points from down in twelfth.
As well, the team boss noted strategy as another strong element of the Scuderia’s race, though the mid-race safety car diminished some of its return.
“However, there were some positives today, starting with Charles’ pace on the Soft tyres which was good and allowed him to make up six positions on his first stint. Carlos also ran well on the Mediums. Our strategy was on point and our pit crew executed two good stops.”
Only two rounds into the 2023 season, Vasseur said that the team will work hard to develop the performance of SF-23 and improve their position in the pecking order.
“There is still a long way to go this season and we will continue to fight. We are fully committed to maximising our package and further developing the SF-23 for the coming rounds.”
