Vasseur: Confident update package will make Ferrari frontrunners

Vasseur's Ferrari team started the 2024 Formula 1 season potently, Sainz winning in Melbourne and Leclerc winning Monaco, but after the latter's home race victory form went south for Ferrari. No-points scored at the Canadian Grand Prix and are outscored by the other top three teams battling at the sharp end of the grid right no, did them no favours.

Red Bull with Max Verstappen in the cockpit is still the combo to beat, but Mercedes have won the last two GPs and McLaren threaten to do so every race weekend. Ferrari are lagging, and the update cannot come at a better time for the Reds.

In the Ferrari preview of the weekend at Hungaroring, Vasseur said: "This season, we are fighting to the nearest hundredths of a second and so Charles and Carlos must be able to give of their best and have confidence in the car if they are to get the best possible results in the race.

"Even more importantly, in qualifying when they need to push the car right to the limit. I am confident the package we bring to the Hungaroring will allow us to be frontrunners," declared the Ferrari boss.

If the upgrade works for the Ferrari SF-24 remains to be seen. Even top teams do not know if their concoctions will deliver more performance or less until the car is run in anger during a GP weekend.

Vasseur continued: "The week’s break prior to Hungary has allowed us to take an in-depth look at all the data from the past three races. We found that our latest upgrade package did indeed bring the expected benefits in terms of aero points. However, it also had side effects that meant the car was actually more difficult to drive.

"We have worked hard in the factory and so in Budapest, we will bring an evolution of the floor which we reckon will give the drivers a car that will allow them to drive to the best of their abilities," added the Frenchman, basically saying the last upgrades did nor work on the Ferrari.

The Italian team remain P2 in the 2024 F1 Constructors' standings, but McLaren have closed the gap to seven points in recent races and Red Bull have only Verstappen scoring the big points as Sergio Perez's form has slumped to its lowest levels in recent races. The World Champions lead the standings by 71 points ahead of Round 13 this weekend in Budapest.