Mercedes Baku Advantage Questioned
Ferrari Principal Fred Vasseur Questions Mercedes Advantage Following Baku Qualifying
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After qualifying in Baku, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said the more-than-eight-tenths gap between George Russell’s Mercedes and Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari was not explained by engine performance alone, pointing to aerodynamic drag and possible energy-management factors while challenging the FIA on Mercedes’ apparent power-unit advantage. Vasseur also acknowledged Ferrari’s Q3 decisions were not ideal as changing temperatures complicated tire preparation, but argued that qualifying pace might not translate directly into the race. Ferrari’s result was mixed: Leclerc secured the front row, while Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth after hitting the wall and losing time. Vasseur also voiced frustration with persistent questions about his future and reports of upheaval within Ferrari; separate reports say Christian Horner has expressed interest in Ferrari, though he has said he would want an ownership stake and Vasseur did not definitively dismiss the speculation.
Key Points
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Christian Horner said he would consider Ferrari “the dream” and “the sleeping giant” of Formula 1, but said that at this stage he would only return to a team if he had an ownership stake.
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RacingNews365 reported that a plan was provisionally being drawn up for how Ferrari could manage Fred Vasseur’s exit at season’s end if he chose to step down.
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Vasseur said Ferrari decided not to change Charles Leclerc’s power unit in the two days before qualifying; asked about the engine used at Monza, he described it as “one from the engine pool.”
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Changing conditions led teams to take different approaches to their final qualifying runs: Russell completed three consecutive laps, Ferrari did two, and McLaren used a “1+1” strategy, Vasseur said.
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