Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur has pledged that the Scuderia will approach the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid brimming with enthusiasm, determined to rebound from what he described as a "failure" at Monza. The Italian outfit entered their home race with high hopes, especially after both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc posted impressive lap times in Friday’s practice sessions.
Yet, the weekend quickly unraveled: the duo missed the front row in qualifying and the race itself turned into a series of setbacks. Hamilton, who started the race in fourth place, was forced to drop to tenth after a side‑by‑side battle with Leclerc at the first chicane. The contact sent Hamilton onto the gravel at Turn 2, a moment he later expressed frustration about.
Leclerc’s misfortune was even more severe. On the third lap he suffered a heavy crash that not only destroyed his car but also left the Monegasque driver with temporary eye irritation.
Although Hamilton managed to climb back to third position during the middle stages, a lack of outright pace prevented him from challenging the leaders, and he ultimately finished sixth behind the two Mercedes drivers, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, and both McLaren entries. Vasseur addressed the media after the race, stating, "We will travel to Madrid with all the energy we need to secure a good result. Monza was far from a normal race for us, despite what I may have said during the week. With the Tifosi behind us, we felt a responsibility to deliver something special as a thank‑you for their unwavering support and passion.
We all share the feeling that we let ourselves down, but rest assured we will come back far stronger." The Italian manufacturer had introduced its second and final power‑unit upgrade of the season at Monza, yet the cars still lagged behind the Mercedes‑powered rivals on the straights. Straight‑line speed has been Ferrari’s Achilles’ heel all year, a shortcoming that Vasseur believes will be less critical at the twisty Madring circuit in Madrid. He admitted he did not expect the team to fully close the power‑unit gap to Mercedes in a single event, explaining, "When you lack pure power you start to play with ERS deployment to compensate on the straights.
But the more you use it in one place, the less you have elsewhere, and that creates a negative spiral when you’re fighting wheel‑to‑wheel. In truth, it isn’t just about deployment; even McLaren was tweaking their settings on Friday and Saturday. The core issue remains a deficit in raw horsepower." Earlier this year, after the first Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) review, Ferrari was found to be more than four per cent off the benchmark set by Red Bull’s power unit. That assessment granted the Scuderia permission to introduce two engine upgrades during the 2024 season and another set for 2027, when a brand‑new power unit will be introduced.
Vasseur highlighted the stark contrast between chassis and engine development cycles: "A chassis upgrade can be designed, built and introduced in a matter of days, instantly putting you back on the pace. Engine development, however, is a marathon.
Lead times for parts are long, the cost cap adds complexity, and you have to produce a reliable unit for the whole season. To start a development programme you need to manufacture a fresh batch of engines, which is not something you can do overnight." He added, "We don’t expect to recover instantly with ADUO 1 or ADUO 2. Our approach is incremental. Even a hundredth of a second on the engine can translate into a grid position gain.
A couple of extra horsepower might seem modest, but it can be the difference between fighting in the midfield and challenging for podiums. Next year we will have an entirely new engine, and the goal is to close the gap as quickly as possible." Looking ahead, the Spanish Grand Prix schedule is packed with support series and fan events.
On Thursday, September 10, the drivers’ press conference will begin at 2 p.m., followed by the paddock uncut at 5 p.m. Friday’s agenda includes Formula 3 practice at 8:50 a.m., Formula 2 practice at 10 a.m., and the first Spanish Grand Prix practice session at 12:30 p.m., with qualifying for F2 at 12:55 p.m. The team‑bosses’ press conference is slated for 2:40 p.m., and the second practice session for the main race starts at 4 p.m.
Later that evening, F3 qualifying and the F1 Show will round out the day. Saturday, September 12, sees a F3 sprint at 10 a.m., the third practice session for the Grand Prix at 11:30 a.m., an F2 sprint at 1:10 p.m., and the build‑up to the Spanish Grand Prix qualifying at 2:15 p.m. The qualifying session itself begins at 3 p.m., followed by the F3 Feature Race 1 at 4:55 p.m. and Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 6 p.m.
Sunday’s program starts with the F3 Feature Race 2 at 8:40 a.m., the F2 Feature Race at 10:20 a.m., and a pre‑race build‑up at 12:30 p.m. The main event, the Spanish Grand Prix, kicks off at 2 p.m., with the chequered flag and post‑race reaction at 4 p.m., and a final edition of Ted’s Notebook at 5 p.m.
The qualifying session will also be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event. Formula 1 will travel to the brand‑new Madring circuit in Madrid for the Spanish Grand Prix, with every session streamed live on Sky Sports F1 from this Friday.
Fans can watch via the NOW streaming platform, which offers a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime subscription, ensuring easy access to all the on‑track action.