F1 News: Ferrari Chief Reveals What Went Wrong During Canada Qualifying

Reacting to the surprising qualifying round at the Canadian Grand Prix, Frederic Vasseur, the Ferrari team boss, addressed the significant challenges faced by his squad. Despite glimpses of competitive pace in variable conditions, Ferrari struggled to optimize tire performance, culminating in their underwhelming 11th and 12th place qualifications. Vasseur's frustration was palpable as he acknowledged the fierce competition, highlighted by the unexpected Q2 exits for his drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.

In a disheartening weekend for Scuderia Ferrari, the iconic Formula 1 team faced unexpected challenges during the Canadian Grand Prix qualifying rounds that left team principal Frederic Vasseur dissecting what went wrong. Ferrari’s struggle was unexpected given their earlier promising pace, and Vasseur’s candid insights reveal the tactical missteps that occurred.

During an interview with Sky Sports F1, Vasseur highlighted the intermittent conditions faced on the track over the qualifying weekend.

"The pace was ok yesterday on both conditions, wet and dry." However, subsequent sessions did not mirror this preliminary success. "But we struggled a bit more from this morning to switch on the tyres for Turn One because we are losing more than 50 percent of the gap in Turn One." This significant loss right at the start of the lap indicates a failure to optimize the car's tire performance at crucial moments.

Despite this setback, the competition’s tight nature was underscored by the marginally small intervals that defined placements.

“It's tight. At the end of the day Perez is 16th and for one or two tenths you can be out,” Vasseur explained. “Carlos was three-tenths faster than Charles in the last corner [before] he made a mistake. It is like it is but we have to be pleased with the fact that the fight is so tight.”

Ultimately, Ferrari’s results—11th and 12th places for Sainz and Leclerc, respectively—were far from satisfying. Vasseur summed up the mood succinctly: “For sure when you are 11th and 12th, you are not happy.”

The qualifying session itself was fraught with challenges and surprises for all teams. Notably, Sergio Perez's unexpected 16th place highlighted how a few tenths of a second can cause major upsets. Similarly, Q2 saw rainfall which added another layer of unpredictability, influencing outcomes including both Ferraris being knocked out early.

The result is a lesson in resilience and adaptation. For Ferrari, reflecting on these qualifying results provides critical insights as they prepare for future races. For Vasseur and his team, understanding how to effectively switch on the tires, especially under varied track conditions, will be crucial to converting their car's latent pace into actual competitive performance during the races.