Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has announced an ambitious development plan aimed at closing the gap to the dominant Red Bull team in the 2023 Formula 1 season. As Red Bull continues to assert their dominance, having won all five races so far, Ferrari intends to introduce upgrades at every remaining race of the season. Despite a disappointing start to the year, Ferrari remains determined to extract more performance from their car and improve their chances of success.
Chasing Red Bull:
Red Bull’s early-season dominance has established them as the runaway leaders, with a 122-point advantage over Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship. In the Drivers’ standings, Max Verstappen leads the pack, closely followed by his teammate Sergio Perez. Ferrari, currently sitting fourth behind Mercedes, aims to challenge the status quo by implementing an aggressive development plan to enhance their performance.
Upgrades in Motion:
While Monaco is typically not the ideal track for updates, Ferrari has not been deterred by the circuit’s challenges. They have introduced new parts, including a new rear corner and rear wing, for the Monaco Grand Prix. Vasseur revealed that this is just the first step of their development plan. Further upgrades are scheduled for the Spanish Grand Prix, the Canadian Grand Prix in June, and around the time of the British and Austrian rounds in early July. Ferrari aims to bring small updates to the car at every race for the remainder of the season.
Taking It Race by Race:
Vasseur emphasized that Ferrari’s development plan is not solely driven by the belief that they can still win the 2023 title. The team’s focus is on extracting more performance from each race and continually improving. Vasseur stressed that it would be a mistake to overreact or become complacent, regardless of their position in the championship standings. Ferrari remains motivated to push the boundaries and find areas for improvement, maintaining a race-by-race approach.
Monaco Prospects and Qualifying Focus:
Carlos Sainz’s top performance in the opening practice session in Monaco raised hopes of a strong showing for Ferrari. Vasseur expressed his excitement at the possibility of securing a front-row grid position, emphasizing the significance of qualifying in Monaco. With the nature of the track favoring a good starting position, Ferrari sees this race as a genuine opportunity for success. The team remains focused on maximizing their qualifying performance and looks forward to the challenge ahead.
