A filmmaker with a soft spot for Ronnie Peterson, Gilles Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and above all, Tazio Nuvolari and Ayrton Senna, is also a diehard Formula One fan since the age of 4 (mid-90's). An avid researcher of the past of Grand Prix Racing since before it was even named F1, and with a thirst for knowledge of the ins and outs of the actuality of the sport, as well as for the technical aspects that define it, is a member of GPblog since 2023, where he has put his love of racing to good use.
Ferrari came out the blocks fighting at the start of the Italian Grand Prix weekend, taking a deceptively dominant FP1 1-2 led by Lewis Hamilton, and P2 in the second practice session. But can they beat McLaren, and if so, where? The Scuderia's team principal, Frederic Vasseur, answers.
Friday could not have started better for Ferrari with Lewis Hamilton leading the charge, with his teammate, Charles Leclerc trailing the Briton to ensure a weekend-opening 1-2.
Nevertheless when it was time to turn the wick up for FP2, Lando Norris topped the timing sheets aboard a rather unruly McLaren. Leclerc, was once again P2, albeit marginally, as his best time came within 0.086s of the Briton's session-topping time.
The Monegasque, following the Friday of on-track action was so enthused by the Italian team's performance on home soil that he left the door open for a potential Ferrari upset Monza pole, even if wary of McLaren and Red Bull when they decide to unleash their full pace.
Ferrari know when to strike, but do they know where?
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Regarding if Ferrari could beat McLaren, the Scuderia's boss, Vasseur, responded to GPblog, following up on his previous statements where he asserted that his team could indeed beat the otherwise dominant McLaren outfit.
"I think nobody expected that we could do the pole position – me, the first – in Budapest," he began.
"We know that the fight is very tight, that we have four teams and perhaps sometimes more able to fight for pole position."
"For sure, McLaren is one step ahead, but it's very difficult for everybody to be consistent," he explained before revealing when the opportunity could present itself for Ferrari to nab their first win of the 2025 F1 season.
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"We can have days where they are a step back, and on those days we have to be there."
However, where can this happen? As consistency has been an Achilles heel for virtually all teams this season, with McLaren struggling to find form in Canada, for instance.
"I don’t want to say this one or that one – we have to perform everywhere and get the best from what we have," the Frenchman concluded.
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