Ferrari Team principal Fred Vasseur has revealed minor improvements to the automotive for the upcoming Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, which can be the last of the season for the Scuderia.
The Maranello-based team stays in contention for the constructors' championship despite specializing in the battle between Red Bull and McLaren – a difference of 75 points between Woking and Ferrari with seven rounds remaining.
Confirming that the upgrade package can be added to the automotive on the Circuit of the Americas, Vasseur revealed that his primary focus will then be on next 12 months's machines.
“We all know that we now have already began work on the following automotive and we are attempting to do all the pieces we will to make small improvements for the following one. [race]- he said.
“I believe this may probably be the last game for everybody; this can be true for us, but it is going to even be true for other teams.
“Now it's been so tight in the last four, five, six races that if you look at the grid it can be tight and every detail can make a difference.”
Singapore Grand Prix Ferrari was in trouble after a disappointing qualifying session Charles Leclerc he had problems with tire preparation and lost one lap in Q3 Carlos Sainz crashed.
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24
Photo: Lionel Ng / Motorsport Images
The team then split strategies from ninth and tenth on the grid, with Sainz stopping early for clear air after losing position on the primary lap, while Leclerc charged into the race later within the race to make his only stop.
Leclerc finished fifth, beating George Russell to take fourth on the flag, while Sainz finished seventh on his old hard tires.
Explaining why the choice was made to separate the approaches, Vasseur said: “For starters [on] soft, perhaps you’ll be able to set one position.
“But if you need to be aggressive, you’ll pit on lap 12 or 15, like Lewis [Hamilton] you probably did it – you may have no other alternative.
“At least initially we had a probability to increase the race, the race scenario was a bit different and I believe it was a great strategy.
“But the fact that we split the cars for one early stop and then a second one that was extended was also a good decision, I think it went quite well because of the track position during the run.”
Watch: Why RB gave up Ricciardo in favor of Lawson with immediate effect
