Ferrari boss Vasseur says Red Bull no longer have the comfort

Red Bull no longer enjoys the “comfort” they had at the top of the standings last year, making it harder for the champions to control the races, even though the RB20 still boasts impressive race pace. This is the view of Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Frédéric Vasseur following Charles Leclerc’s victory in Monaco.

“I think Red Bull had a significant lead last year,” Vasseur said. “We could sometimes compete with them in qualifying, but in the races, they were on average 4-5 tenths of a second faster per lap. When you have such a gap, you’re not really threatened by those behind you. Even if you make a mistake in qualifying, as Max did in Jeddah last year, starting ninth, he was leading after just three laps. Red Bull had that comfort, but it’s no longer there.”

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Vasseur cited another example from last year in Austria, where Verstappen had such a large lead over Leclerc that he could pit for new tires and set the fastest lap on the final lap.

So far, the development of McLaren and Ferrari cars this season has been more successful than Red Bull’s, and Vasseur predicts this battle will be decisive for the season. He emphasized the importance of continuous improvement and strategic development to maintain competitiveness and challenge Red Bull’s dominance.