The second European event of the 2024 F1 season is one of the most iconic on the calendar, namely the Monaco GP. Along the narrow streets of Monte Carlo, qualifying is worth more than on any other circuit, and the Ferrari SF-24 is therefore called upon to deal with what has been its weak point so far, namely the performance on the flying lap. An aspect highlighted by team principal Fred Vasseur ahead of the weekend in the Principality.
THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALIFYING IN MONTE CARLO
With the increase in the size of single-seaters following recent regulation changes, overtaking on the track has become almost impossible. In the last 6 editions there have been just 30, with the minimum of one reached in 2021. In the last two years, it has been the rain that has moved the action on the track, so much so that in 2023, there were 13 overtakes. Despite the weather uncertainties, starting from the front, therefore, guarantees better control in the race and the strategy, which in Monte Carlo is usually a single stop.
VASSEUR: “WE PREPARED IN DETAIL”
Ferrari, after debuting the long-awaited package of updates in Imola, will present itself in the Principality with further innovations regarding the rear wing in particular. In preparation for the Monegasque weekend, the Maranello team worked to overcome the problem of perfectly preparing the tyres for the flying lap. An aspect on which the drivers themselves relate differently, as explained by Carlos Sainz in Imola:
“For me, it’s not a problem to get the tyres up to temperature. The car simply performs a little less in qualifying than in 2024 and in race a little more. What Charles is talking about is putting more energy on the front or rear.”
The Ferrari team principal, Fred Vasseur, explained in view of the Monaco GP that he expected progress in this regard:
“As is known, Monaco is a circuit on which overtaking with the current generation of single-seaters is very difficult. Qualifying will be of fundamental importance. We will have to try to take that step that we have still lacked this season to start in front of everyone. In the simulator as well as in the meetings with the engineers, we prepared in detail, and we hope to be protagonists .”
The Monte Carlo race obviously has a particular flavour for Charles Leclerc. However, the Monegasque has a very unfortunate record on home ground. Vasseur hopes that the 2024 edition will be a good one to break this curse and also to confirm Carlos Sainz’s good feeling:
“One week before our home race in Imola, next weekend, it’s Charles’ turn, and as a team, we want to help him close the open account he has with the Monte Carlo track. Carlos, for his part, really loves the Principality track on which he achieved his first podium at the wheel of a Ferrari, so the motivation for both of them is very high.”
ARTHUR LECLERC: “EVERY MINUTE OF THE SESSIONS IS IMPORTANT”
In preparation for the Monte Carlo weekend, the work of Arthur Leclerc was also fundamental. Charles’ brother is a development driver for Ferrari and thus explains the importance of finding the right feeling with the streets of home:
“It is a very particular circuit that winds through the streets of the city. Being fast here means being incredibly precise. You can understand this if you watch a qualifying session in slow-motion: you can clearly see that the single-seaters graze the walls. To achieve this level of precision and continue to be fast, it is very important to feel comfortable in the car.
“To achieve that confidence and push the car to the limit, you need to make the most of every minute of each session. Ultimately, it is the preparation work that makes the difference between a driver who manages to push hard in qualifying and one who is unable to keep the pace for fear of making mistakes.”
