Ferrari group principal Frederic Vasseur says his group’s success on the Australian Grand Prix proved that Purple Bull usually tend to make errors when positioned underneath stress.
Carlos Sainz led team-mate Charles Leclerc to a one-two in Melbourne as Ferrari capitalised on the early retirement of reigning world champion Max Verstappen.
The Dutchman, who’s in search of a fourth successive drivers’ title, got here into the weekend on a nine-race profitable streak however appeared removed from sure of victory all through as Ferrari confirmed sturdy tempo in follow.
Verstappen finally produced a superb qualifying efficiency to take pole place however then retired after simply 4 laps with a brake failure.
“This weekend I believe it is good proof that once we are placing all the things collectively, and I am unsure that we’ll be capable to do it each single weekend, we will put them a little bit bit underneath stress,” Vasseur mentioned.
“And it is when they’re underneath stress that they may even make extra errors.
“We’ve to proceed on this course. We’re rather more assured of the truth that we will handle this sort of occasion.
“From lap one, day one, we had been there, we had been performant, and it was fairly clean, and it is on this scenario that we’re doing the perfect automobile for the Sunday.”
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Max Verstappen vented his frustration on the Purple Bull mechanics after a brake concern meant he solely lasted three laps on the Australia GP
2024 Ferrari ‘a lot simpler’ to develop
The end result introduced Leclerc inside 4 factors of Verstappen within the drivers’ standings, whereas Sainz would doubtless be the world championship chief had it not been for his absence in Saudi Arabia following an appendectomy.
Sainz completed behind Verstappen and Purple Bull team-mate Sergio Perez on the rostrum in Bahrain earlier than Leclerc achieved the identical end in Jeddah.
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Carlos Sainz produces an unimaginable efficiency to win the Australian Grand Prix for a Ferrari 1-2, whereas George Russell crashes out on the ultimate lap for a Mercedes double DNF
The outcomes mark a continuation of a robust end to final season for Ferrari, and Vasseur seems to assume there’s a lot extra potential to be unlocked from a automobile that’s “a lot simpler” to develop than its predecessor.
“We made an enormous step,” Vasseur added. “I believe it is extra the consistency between the 2 compounds or between one stint and the opposite one.
“The automobile is way simpler to drive, a lot simpler to learn additionally for the drivers. By the best way, a lot simpler to develop.
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Highlights of the Australian GP from Albert Park, Melbourne
“It is most likely the most important step that we did in comparison with final yr, to have one thing that we can’t simply handle, however no less than to have learn of the automobile fairly early within the weekend.
“Confidence is a big a part of the leads to our enterprise, and I believe we’re build up the arrogance during the last month, but it surely was already the case during the last a part of the season final yr.”
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