A busy Friday of work at Sepang confirmed Ferrari’s progress, but the talk of the paddock has centred mainly on the comments made by team principal Fred Vasseur, who sought to nip any internal tension in the bud following Lewis Hamilton’s recent remarks.
The French manager firmly reiterated the need to maintain a harmonious atmosphere within the team, emphasising that relations with the Maranello management are solid and constructive. ‘There’s no point in pointing the finger at any one person; we’re a team,’ said Vasseur, effectively echoing the sentiment expressed by Hamilton himself in recent days. A clear message, aimed at uniting the team at a stage of the season when the Scuderia is seeking to consolidate its technical progress following a mixed start to the championship.
On the track, the two free practice sessions held at the Malaysian circuit provided some interesting insights. In Friday’s first session, it was Max Verstappen who set the fastest time, confirming Red Bull’s consistency even on a challenging track like Sepang. Behind him was a surprising Mercedes driven by George Russell in second place, whilst Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari finished fourth, ahead of the young Mercedes talent, Kimi Antonelli, in fifth. Further back was Hamilton, sixth in the other Ferrari, reflecting the fact that the seven-time world champion is still finding his feet with the new car.
The tide turned in Free Practice 2, held in the late afternoon under different track conditions. Here, it was Leclerc who stole the show, setting the fastest time of the day and confirming the positive form he had shown since the morning. This is an encouraging sign for Ferrari, which appears to have found a good set-up compromise on the Malaysian circuit. Hamilton climbed back up to fifth place, whilst Antonelli finished eighth and Russell seventh, both seemingly less at ease than they had been on Friday morning.
The picture emerging from this first day of testing is that of a Ferrari in search of consistency, capable of alternating flashes of speed with moments of difficulty, particularly with regard to Hamilton’s adaptation to the car. Vasseur’s words therefore take on even greater significance: in a context where media pressure tends to blow every single performance out of proportion, the team principal has chosen the path of internal cohesion, calling on everyone – including the drivers – to pull in the same direction.
It remains to be seen whether this professed composure will translate into consistent performances in qualifying and the race. The Malaysian Grand Prix weekend represents an important test to gauge whether the progress shown by Leclerc can become a cornerstone for the whole team – Hamilton included – in their bid to reach the top of the constructors’ championship.
Written by Fabio Averna
Article produced by the AiSportNews newsroom with the support of artificial intelligence tools.