P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Frederic Vasseur has revealed his biggest concern ahead of this weekend’s first Chinese Grand Prix since 2019.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur expressed his biggest concern for the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix, which is how the tarmac and the new 18-inch F1 tyres will perform at the Shanghai International Circuit, where F1 has not raced since 2019 due to the pandemic. Pirelli has not been able to assess the track condition, heightening worries. With practice being crucial this weekend to gather new data on the circuit, Vasseur believes the uncertainty poses a challenge for all teams, especially with the added pressure of sprint qualifying, a format that has drawn criticism. The key focus remains on the unknown aspects of the tarmac’s roughness and the colder forecasted conditions, making it essential for teams to quickly find the right set-up during the limited practice time available. Vasseur emphasized the significance of Friday’s session in determining the weekend’s approach and setup due to the condensed schedule of one practice session before sprint qualifying.
