Ferrari still clueless about what's wrong with the car after a disappointing 2023 F1 Spanish GP: “If we knew, we would have already solved it"
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur mentioned that the team would have resolved the issues had they found out what is plaguing the SF-23 this season.
After a promising pre-season test, it has been tough going for the Italian giants as they have firmly slipped behind the likes of Mercedes and Aston Martin in the fight for P2 in the championship. The Prancing Horses were lacking in race pace even after introducing upgrades on Carlos Sainz's car.
As per Formu1a.uno, the Ferrari team boss said:
"If we knew, we would have already solved it. There are so many people working there but it's not easy because it's not even the same problem. In qualifying, you are also in the open air, not in the race, which is why Charles also had more problems being in traffic,"
He also spoke about if the Catalunya circuit did not suit them as well as they expected, adding:
“It's difficult to have a clear idea on which track we'll do better. Only now are we starting to get a clearer idea of the car. Comparing Miami and Spain we have more or less the same situation, faster in Qualifying and inconsistent in the race."
"Mercedes is a good point of reference: they brought a great package to Monaco and the gap remained more or less the same. The problem remains the consistency,”
"It is clear that, in terms of race pace, Red Bull and Mercedes are quicker than us" - Ferrari team boss
The Frenchman analyzed the team's performance in Barcelona and admitted that they are currently behind Red Bull and Mercedes in race pace.
As per F1.com, the Ferrari team boss said:
"We made a step forward this weekend in terms of our qualifying pace, with Carlos on the front row after the best Saturday of his season so far. However, it is clear that, in terms of race pace, Red Bull and Mercedes are quicker than us. As for the upgrades, I think we have made a step forward overall if you compare this weekend with Miami. Clearly, we know it is still not enough.
He added:
"Our problem is not our outright performance, it is our lack of consistency. Charles’ first set of Hards was a sort of a nightmare but then on his last set of the same compound, he was happy with the balance: we must assess this inconsistency. Now, we will focus completely on this issue before Canada,"
It will be interesting to see if Ferrari are more competitive in Canada than they were in Spain.
Quick Links
Ritwik Kumar