Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur said his team’s good luck at the Australian Grand Prix showed Red Bull is more prone to making mistakes when under pressure.
Carlos Sainz led team-mate Charles Leclerc to a one-two finish in Melbourne as Ferrari took advantage of reigning world champion Max Verstappen’s early retirement.
The Dutchman, who is aiming for a fourth consecutive drivers’ title, was on a nine-game winning streak at the weekend but looked far from sure of victory as Ferrari showed clever speed in practice.
Verstappen put in a brilliant performance in qualifying to clinch pole position, but then retired after just four laps due to brake failure.
“This weekend I think is smart proof that when we put each and every thing in place, and I’m not sure we can do it each and every weekend, we can put it under a little bit of predetermination. Vasseur said.
“And it’s when they’re under pressure that they also make the most mistakes.
“We have to continue in this direction. We are much more confident in our ability to manage these types of events.
“From the first lap we were there, we were performing and everything went smoothly, and that’s where we make the most productive car for Sunday.
The result puts Leclerc four points behind Verstappen in the drivers’ standings, while Sainz would likely be the world championship leader if not for his absence in Saudi Arabia following an appendectomy.
Sainz finished with Verstappen and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez on the podium in Bahrain before Leclerc achieved the same result in Jeddah.
These effects mark the continuation of a strong end to last season for Ferrari, and Vasseur thinks there is a much better chance of unlocking a car that is “much easier” to expand than its predecessor.
“We’ve made a big step,” added Vasseur. I think it’s more about consistency between the two compounds or between one relay and the other.
“The car is much less difficult to drive and much less difficult for drivers to read. In fact, it’s much less difficult to develop. “
“It’s probably the biggest step we’ve taken compared to last year – to have everything that the car can’t easily remove, but at least to have a smart reading of the car at the start of the weekend.
“Trust is an important component of our business effects, and I think we’ve built it over the last month, although it was already the case in the latter part of last year’s season. “
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