Ferrari left Suzuka with their third consecutive podium and a clear sense of both progress and limitation, as Team Principal Fred Vasseur praised Charles Leclerc’s racecraft while acknowledging the team’s ongoing straight‑line speed deficit compared to Mercedes.
The Japanese Grand Prix delivered one of the most entertaining races of the season so far, and Vasseur was quick to highlight its broader significance.
“I think this race was good for Formula 1 and good for the championship, as it was an exciting show. There was much more overtaking than we had at this track in the past.”
For Ferrari, the excitement came with reward. Leclerc fought his way to third after a fierce afternoon of wheel‑to‑wheel battles with George Russell, Andrea Kimi Antonelli and teammate Lewis Hamilton. Vasseur was full of praise for the Monegasque’s execution.
“For us, this is a third consecutive podium. It was a very strong race from Charles in his battle with Russell, keeping him behind in the closing stages.”
Leclerc’s tactical awareness was a standout feature of his drive. “It was a clever drive, sometimes making sure the Mercedes was in front so that he could pass him going into turn 1,” Vasseur explained. The result, he said, was a boost for the entire organisation.
“It was good for the team and for everyone back in the factory to see that we were able to do this. It’s a good way to go into the enforced break.”
But Vasseur was equally clear that Ferrari cannot afford to relax. “We know that we have to push, we have to work to develop the car.”
Hamilton’s race underlined why. After jumping ahead of Leclerc thanks to the Safety Car, the seven‑time champion quickly fell backwards, unable to defend against the Mercedes or Lando Norris. Vasseur pointed to a key limitation.
“As for Lewis, it’s clear that once you do not have overtake mode you lose pace and a train forms on track. When the gap to the car ahead is more than a second, everything becomes more difficult.”
Ferrari’s straight‑line performance remains a weakness — one that was brutally exposed on Suzuka’s long, flowing stretches. “We know we have a deficit in terms of straight-line performance and we will work on that over the next weeks,” Vasseur said.
