Ferrari faced a dramatic turn of events at the Chinese Grand Prix, shifting from triumph to disappointment within 24 hours.

Lewis Hamilton secured pole position and won the Sprint race, seemingly putting Ferrari's Australian GP struggles behind them. The Sprint victory suggested Ferrari had found the right direction with their new car, showing promising potential for both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

However, the main race revealed ongoing challenges. Despite a strong start with Hamilton passing Verstappen for fourth and Leclerc following through, their performance gradually declined. Both drivers expressed frustration with team communication, and Ferrari proved to be the fourth-fastest car during the race.

The situation worsened post-race when both Ferrari cars were disqualified. Hamilton's car failed technical inspection due to excessive rear skid block wear, while Leclerc's car was found to be underweight. These technical violations resulted in Ferrari losing all their points, leaving them behind Williams in the constructors' championship.

Team Principal Fred Vasseur, known for maintaining composure under pressure, now faces the challenge of addressing these issues. Ferrari admitted these mistakes in a team statement, promising to learn and prevent similar occurrences.

The team's early-season struggles have proven costly, giving McLaren a 61-point advantage in the championship. While Hamilton urged against hasty judgments after the Sprint success, stating "Rome wasn't built in one day," Ferrari's self-inflicted setbacks have overshadowed their potential progress.

These challenges echo issues from before Vasseur's leadership, suggesting the team needs to address fundamental operational concerns. With strong competition from McLaren, Mercedes, and Red Bull, Ferrari must quickly resolve these problems to maintain their championship aspirations.

The team's focus now shifts to ensuring better technical compliance and race execution, while Vasseur works to align the team's efforts and maintain stability under increasing scrutiny.

Related Articles

Previous Articles