Ferrari boss sets target for Charles Leclerc & Lewis Hamilton for Dutch GP

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has set a target for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton following the qualifying session at the Dutch Grand Prix. The 57-year-old detailed how he expects both drivers to challenge for a podium finish when the lights go out in Zandvoort.

The French motorsports chief, who has witnessed his side endure what can be regarded as a torrid weekend so far at the circuit in the Dutch dunes, spoke to the media following the conclusion of qualifying. Vasseur was relatively pleased with the turnaround the Scuderia Ferrari team has made and stated:

“It’s not magic, but if you compare it with the result from Friday, it’s a huge step forward. It was, for sure, yesterday, the most difficult Friday of the last two or three seasons, and we had a good recovery today. We have to target the podium, for sure.”

The qualifying session of the Dutch Grand Prix witnessed both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualify in sixth and seventh place, respectively. The turnaround appears even more impressive considering the Marenello-based outfit appeared well out of touch with the pace setters for much of the weekend.

Leclerc and Hamilton had struggled to record lap times quick enough to finish in the top 10 for much of the weekend. However, the pair would experience a turnaround during qualifying.

With both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton starting as high up as they can, the pair will now shift their focus to clinching a podium finish when the lights go out come race Sunday (August 31).

Charles Leclerc reacts after his qualifying session

Charles Leclerc also weighed in on his outing following the conclusion of qualifying. The 27-year-old acknowledged how difficult the build-up to the race weekend had largely been for himself and the team.

The Monegasque driver stressed how the balance of the car has continued to prove tricky through the weekend, which translated to him not getting the best out of the qualifying session. Leclerc said to the media afterwards:

“It’s been a difficult weekend overall, which makes it tough to build up to the race in the way we want to. The balance of the car makes it tricky to drive and I didn’t put it all together in qualifying. It’s just that kind of weekend for us, but we may be able to play with strategy tomorrow. We’ll do everything we can to fight our way forward and bring home a good result for the team.”

Charles Leclerc boasts fond memories of racing at the Dutch Grand Prix circuit, particularly since its return to the F1 calendar in 2021. The eight-time Grand Prix winner has so far finished on the podium two times [2022 and 2024] and will be aiming to make it a lucky three come race Sunday.