Ferrari’s results across the 2024 season have reflected the hard work Fred Vasseur, the mechanics, and drivers have all put into the campaign.
With four wins overall, the team principal has set his sights on obtaining their first championship since 2008. There are currently three races remaining this year, but will Ferrari be able to gain an advantage over the current Constructor’s Championship leaders McLaren?
Fred Vasseur gives insight as to what Ferrari can do to win a Championship
Fred Vasseur’s Ferrari is currently trailing behind rivals McLaren by 36 points in the Constructor’s Championship standings. With a possible 129 points up for grabs in the final stages of the season, however, the Prancing Horses are determined to claim their first championship in 16 years.
McLaren has similarly had an excellent 2024 season, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri bringing multiple wins back for the Papaya team. Despite an intense rivalry in the Driver’s Championship between Norris and Max Verstappen, Team Principal Andrea Stella has argued that McLaren’s top priority has always been the Constructor’s title.
In conversation with the media, Stella said: “Even when there was a call to be made to support one driver or the other, it was always secondary to actually maximizing the Constructors’ Championship.”
It’s soooo close at the top 🤏
We have just three rounds to decide our 2024 constructor champions… and plenty of other scores to settle too!#F1 #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/DN3ApsNQz3
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 18, 2024
McLaren’s apparent focus on claiming the Constructors Championship means little to Fred Vasseur however. The Frenchman has informed the Italian team that they must look back and improve from the mistakes they have made across the season.
He went on to tell the media: “If you look at them (the mistakes), everybody can say that: ‘if I didn’t do this or this and at the end, with the kind of fight with three or four teams where it is close, everybody can be world champion,”
“But the most important thing is to avoid racing with ‘if’, because everybody can win races, but we need to focus on what we are doing to try and improve,” Vasseur added.
When did Ferrari last win a championship?
Ferrari most recently saw victory in the Constructor’s Championship in 2008, with drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa. The Scuderias had won eight of the last ten constructor’s trophies in this period, with only Renault being able to challenge them in 2005-2006. Ferrari’s Championship success was achieved with the Ferrari F2008, which differs significantly in comparison to the specification of 2024 cars.
Unlike 2024 models, 2008 F1 cars had slimmer tyres and significantly lower downforce. Over the years teams have also seen changes to the aerodynamics of the cars, allowing for edits to be made to the front wing and winglets and in turn the overall weight distribution. 2008 also saw a reduction in power in comparison to prior years that teams were expected to adapt to.
On this day in 2008, Lewis Hamilton won his first F1 World Championship on the last corner of the last lap in Brazil 🏆🇧🇷
Beating Felipe Massa by just 1 point. Ferrari couldn’t believe it 😤 pic.twitter.com/7Ya3oJfePo
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) November 2, 2022
It also saw the end of Ferrari’s success in the Driver’s Championship, with Lewis Hamilton claiming the title from their 2007 champion Kimi Räikkönen following a close battle with Felipe Massa. The young Brit took the Championship from Massa in just his second year in Formula 1 by a singular point.
16 years on from 2008, Ferrari is yet to capitalize on a championship and return to full glory. Their long-awaited Constructor’s success is in sight for the team however, if they can find a way to overtake McLaren in the last three races of 2024.
