Vasseur wants to avoid 2023 scenario: 'I want to win!'
F1 News
Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari's team principal, is determined to be have one of their cars on the top step of the podium at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Carlos Sainz will start from the front row of the grid alongside polesitter George Russell, while Charles Leclerc will start from P4, ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. A scenario like last year is out of the question, according to the French team principal.
When Vasseur was asked about the SF-24's race pace on Sunday, the Frenchman joked: "Yes, I hope that we won't be the faster on Sunday" (in Las Vegas, the Grand Prix will begin on Saturday local time), he told F1TV.
He then continued on a more serious note. "It's true that from the beginning of the season we had the probably a better car on the race pace, and not the qualifying pace. It's probably the consequence of what [we did] last year, that we put a lot of effort on the race pace and you have always a downside to everything, it means that we have to make some compromise on the qualifying."
Vasseur aims for P1 in Las Vegas
Last year, Charles Leclerc could start from pole position in the 'Sin City', however, the Monegasque driver finished behind Max Verstappen. "It's (having better race pace) for the benefits of the team because you are scoring points on the race. I think it's a good preparation. Last year we did the pole, but at the end Max won the race and I want to win this weekend," Vasseur concluded.
This article was written in collaboration with Estéban den Toom
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