F1 UPDATE: FERRARI’S FRED VASSEUR SAYS “SEASON NOT OVER” DESPITE TOUGH AUSTRALIAN GP QUALIFYING… Read more

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur has told fans and the media that the season is not over despite a tough qualifying session at the Australian Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc will start in seventh place, while Lewis Hamilton will be eighth. It was a disappointing result for Ferrari, especially since McLaren secured the front two spots, with Lando Norris taking pole position and Oscar Piastri in second.

McLaren was especially strong in the final part of the lap, while Ferrari struggled in Q3. Leclerc started well but made a mistake on his second run, losing valuable time. Because of this, drivers like Max Verstappen, George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, and Alexander Albon all qualified ahead of him.

Ferrari finished seven-tenths of a second behind McLaren, but Vasseur said the gap wasn’t as big as it looked. He explained that if Leclerc had completed his final lap properly, the difference would have been smaller—around one to three-tenths. He also pointed out that Ferrari was much closer to McLaren in Q1 and Q2, which showed they had competitive speed earlier in the session.

Vasseur admitted that Ferrari lost time in the final sector of the lap, where McLaren and Verstappen were much faster. Improving in this area will be a focus for the team.

Despite the poor qualifying result, Vasseur is confident Ferrari can perform better in the race. He reminded everyone that no points are awarded in qualifying and that Ferrari’s race pace during Friday’s practice was strong, especially in dry conditions.

He also mentioned that unpredictable race conditions, such as crashes, safety cars, or rain, could help Ferrari move up the order. Since Leclerc and Hamilton have experience handling tricky situations, the team remains hopeful.

While McLaren’s speed in qualifying is a concern, Vasseur believes Ferrari is still in the fight. The team will keep working to improve and hopes to challenge for podium finishes as the season continues.