Final yr, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc typically needed to deal with tyre administration, which was made tougher by inconsistent and unpredictable behaviour even between units of the identical compound.
This yr’s SF-24 has proved to be rather more benign and predictable on lengthy runs, and that was a key to the spectacular 1-2 end for Sainz and Leclerc in Australia final weekend.
Vasseur says that tyre administration is the primary enchancment achieved by the group in comparison with 2023, slightly than outright pace.
“We made an enormous step ahead,” he stated. “Maybe on the tempo of 1 lap, it is true that we weren’t nowhere final yr on one-lap tempo.
“However the place we made an enormous step I feel it is extra on the consistency between the 2 compounds. Between one stint and the opposite one, the automobile is way simpler to drive.
“A lot simpler to learn additionally for our drivers, and by the way in which a lot simpler to develop. And it is in all probability the most important step that we did in comparison with final yr, to have one thing that we can’t simply handle, however at the least have a very good learn of the automobile fairly early into the weekend.”
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Pictures
Vasseur additionally says the drivers at the moment are higher capable of take care of their tyres by way of a race stint.
“What’s true is that final yr, the primary problem was the truth that the automobile was very tough to drive into the race,” stated Vasseur. “Then you definately needed to do a step [in the pace], you had been doing errors, damaging the tyres. After which it is type of damaging spiral.
“This yr, it is a lot simpler I feel to learn for them, to know the place is the restrict, and to remain only a bit under. And when it’s a must to go to tyre administration, it is a lot, a lot simpler.
“They’re much extra underneath management than they had been final yr, after they had been a bit within the survival mode, and by this you’re killing the tyres fairly shortly.”
