Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has refused to label Crimson Bull as the present greatest staff in Components 1 regardless of Max Verstappen profitable the final two grands prix from pole.
The four-time world champion took his first victory of 2026 with a dominant efficiency in Malaysia, earlier than profitable each the Singapore dash and grand prix only one week later.
It comes after Crimson Bull introduced a big improve to Baku amid Verstappen’s present run of 5 podiums, leaving it now simply seven factors behind third-placed McLaren with six rounds left.
However Vasseur has argued this resurgence is typical of the marketing campaign which began with runaway chief Mercedes profitable the opening six rounds, earlier than Ferrari and McLaren closed the hole.
Each groups collected two wins through the mid-season European leg till Crimson Bull lastly graced the highest step, that means the pecking order has fluctuated due to totally different improve methods.
So when requested by Motorsport.com if Crimson Bull is the “staff to beat”, Vasseur replied: “Undecided.
“Truthfully, they’re doing very effectively, however it’s not the staff to beat. For those who take a look at the McLaren and Mercedes, you probably have a glance from the start of the season, Mercedes was flying, then we gained two races, then McLaren gained two races, then Crimson Bull gained two or three.
“I believe it is altering, as a result of very often you’ve got 4 groups, I believe yesterday you had 4 groups in lower than two races.
“It signifies that if somebody is bringing upgrades subsequent week, the classification can change. However crucial factor is to be targeted on ourselves, not to consider the others.”
Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari
Picture by: Anni Graf – Components 1 through Getty Photos
Vasseur’s feedback got here after Mercedes man George Russell claimed that Crimson Bull is “the staff to beat”, contemplating Verstappen’s wins got here at two very totally different circuits.
However the Ferrari boss, whose drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton completed second and sixth on Sunday, reckons a lot of Verstappen’s Singapore victory was right down to lap one.
It noticed the Crimson Bull driver maintain off Leclerc heading into Flip 1 and with overtaking extraordinarily troublesome on the tight Marina Bay avenue circuit, Verstappen might management the race from there on.
Vasseur added: “It was clear for us even after we had been lapping vehicles, that as quickly as you had been two, three seconds behind, you had been struggling extra.
“It was clear all of the laps that we had been lapping somebody. For positive, you lose time if you overtake, however even earlier than, if you had been two, three seconds behind, it was troublesome.
“It signifies that the place in Flip 1 was vital.”
We would like your opinion!
What would you wish to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
– The Motorsport.com Workforce