Fred Vasseur explains: This is why Ferrari isn’t contesting the qualifying result

There was widespread confusion when George Russell’s name suddenly appeared at the top of the timesheets: this was because, towards the end of qualifying, Max Verstappen’s crash had triggered double yellow flags. However, the Mercedes star had passed the scene of the accident whilst the single yellow flag was still being displayed. And he lifted off the throttle for long enough to ensure his lap time was not disallowed.

As a result, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton ultimately finished in second and third places. And Ferrari chose not to contest the result. Team principal Fred Vasseur explained: “I’m not disappointed; I’m taking the positives from this – we’re second and third and we can compete with Mercedes in qualifying. We’ll probably have good pace in tomorrow’s race too, and that’s the most important thing. After all, there are still 15 Grands Prix to go, so performance is crucial.”

“One could now discuss the whole thing at length and ask whether it is reasonable that a double yellow flag isn’t shown when a crash is so severe that the medical car is deployed. But we don’t have the data from the mini-sectors, so we can’t check whether he reduced his speed by five per cent or not. We have to trust the race control’s judgement on that, and that’s what we’re doing,” added the French engineer.

No concerns about Charles Leclerc

Vasseur also emphasised that the good result should not obscure the fact that Mercedes still has the edge. “We’re still lacking a bit of speed; even when they ease off the throttle, they’re faster than us,” he explained with a smile.

And the fact that Leclerc, who had recently had to swallow a few bitter pills, has now returned to his former form came as no great surprise to him, Vasseur clarified when asked. “The journalists were more worried about it; I had absolutely no concerns, because his lap in Monaco was good enough to be in the fight for pole before the crash, and in Barcelona too he was on a very good lap and his pace was always there. He was under a bit of pressure, because that’s always the case when you make mistakes, and it’s good for him that he’s now been able to fight back with a good lap. But the pace was always there.”

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