Last year, tire management during in-race stints was a major weakness for Ferrari, with a lack of consistency from stint to stint and set to set.
The SF-24 was competitive over long races in the first four events of the season, with Carlos Sainz winning in Australia and the team taking the podium in the other three races.
However, Vasseur is still keen to see how the car will perform on other circuits and in cooler conditions after hot weather dominated the early events of the season.
“I think since the start of the season we are much better in terms of tire management,” he said after the Suzuka race.
“And the degradation – I think we managed to set the fastest lap in Jeddah and Melbourne on the last lap. That was almost the case today for a tenth, I think.
“We took a very good step forward on this one, we worked a lot on the weaknesses and we improved the tire management, the drivers, the strategy and the team enormously.
“And yes, now we have other weaknesses, and we have to improve elsewhere if we want to do a better job.
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
“But I think this one is now very well under control. But what is true one day is not true the other day, on tire management and we should not consider that this is done.
“Next week in China there will be a different tarmac, different weather conditions, and it will be a new challenge.
Asked if cooler conditions could help Ferrari in its race against Red Bull, Vasseur replied: “In China we will have the opportunity to test in colder conditions. But I don’t know, because we We also only did FP3. [in Japan] in colder conditions.
“I’m not sure we’re in better shape, you never know the engine settings, the fuel level. The degree was under control for us on Saturday, but also for them. And it was almost the same today.
Vasseur noted that the result of the Suzuka race, which saw Sainz and teammate Charles Leclerc finish third and fourth, was as good as it could have been.
“I think everything went very well on Sunday,” he said. “The strategy was good for both cars, the defense of the track position, the tire management was under control, the pit stops went well, the pace was good.
“I’m very convinced that we need a good Sunday and if we have to change something, it’s Saturday that we need to improve, rather than Sunday. But it was good work and good teamwork.
Watch: F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2024 Review – Normal Service Resumption
Last year, tire management during in-race stints was a major weakness for Ferrari, with a lack of consistency from stint to stint and set to set.
The SF-24 was competitive over long races in the first four events of the season, with Carlos Sainz winning in Australia and the team taking the podium in the other three races.
However, Vasseur is still keen to see how the car will perform on other circuits and in cooler conditions after hot weather dominated the early events of the season.
“I think since the start of the season we are much better in terms of tire management,” he said after the Suzuka race.
“And the degradation – I think we managed to set the fastest lap in Jeddah and Melbourne on the last lap. That was almost the case today for a tenth, I think.
“We took a very good step forward on this one, we worked a lot on the weaknesses and we improved the tire management, the drivers, the strategy and the team enormously.
“And yes, now we have other weaknesses, and we have to improve elsewhere if we want to do a better job.
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
“But I think this one is now very well under control. But what is true one day is not true the other day, on tire management and we should not consider that this is done.
“Next week in China there will be a different tarmac, different weather conditions, and it will be a new challenge.
Asked if cooler conditions could help Ferrari in its race against Red Bull, Vasseur replied: “In China we will have the opportunity to test in colder conditions. But I don’t know, because we We also only did FP3. [in Japan] in colder conditions.
“I’m not sure we’re in better shape, you never know the engine settings, the fuel level. The degree was under control for us on Saturday, but also for them. And it was almost the same today.
Vasseur noted that the result of the Suzuka race, which saw Sainz and teammate Charles Leclerc finish third and fourth, was as good as it could have been.
“I think everything went very well on Sunday,” he said. “The strategy was good for both cars, the defense of the track position, the tire management was under control, the pit stops went well, the pace was good.
“I’m very convinced that we need a good Sunday and if we have to change something, it’s Saturday that we need to improve, rather than Sunday. But it was good work and good teamwork.
Watch: F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2024 Review – Normal Service Resumption