P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Ferrari is in the mix for its first F1 championship since it won the 2008 constructors’ and is 24 points behind McLaren.
Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has refuted claims that the team’s flawed upgrade during the Spanish Grand Prix will lead to them losing the constructors’ championship. With only two races remaining in the 2024 season, Ferrari is presently 24 points behind McLaren as it diligently pursues its first Formula One title since 2008. McLaren, on the other hand, aims to secure its first championship victory since 1998, the same year they shared the crowns with Lewis Hamilton. Despite Red Bull being in contention, they trail McLaren by 53 points with 103 points up for grabs in the Qatar-Abu Dhabi back-to-back races. Ferrari exhibited a strong performance early in the season but faced setbacks following the one-three finish in Monaco, including a string of point-less races for Charles Leclerc between Canada and Britain. The Spanish upgrade reintroduced handling issues to the car, coinciding with the decline in form, yet Vasseur remains certain that this upgrade alone will not be the determining factor in Ferrari’s championship hopes. Vasseur emphasized that it’s simplistic to look back at the season’s end and speculate on what might have been without certain incidents, noting that competitive teams like McLaren have also faced challenges and missed opportunities throughout the season. Ferrari acknowledges its shortcomings in races like Baku, Singapore, Spain, the UK, and Austria in terms of performance but takes pride in the team’s strong rebound at Spa, highlighting the importance of maximizing points across the season beyond just having the fastest car.
