Singapore Grand Prix: Ferrari Faces Brake Challenges, Loses Ground in Constructors’ Championship
Ferrari’s performance during the Singapore Grand Prix was marred by persistent brake overheating issues, significantly impacting their competitiveness and resulting in a setback in the constructors’ championship standings. McLaren clinched the title in Singapore, while Ferrari finds itself in third, now trailing Mercedes by 25 points.
George Russell secured victory for Mercedes, while Kimi Antonelli placed fifth. Disappointingly, Lewis Hamilton struggled to finish due to similar brake complications that also hindered Charles Leclerc’s race.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur acknowledged the detrimental brake issues: “We were overheating… from lap two or three. We had to do lift and coast during the race,” he explained. The resulting loss of performance left Ferrari at a disadvantage throughout the majority of the race.
Vasseur noted, “Clearly, when we pushed a couple of laps with Lewis, I think the pace was decent. But you can’t do 95% of the race on the back foot and managing.” He emphasized the critical nature of brake performance in Singapore’s tight layout, stating, “It was not expected at this point that we would struggle, especially since we missed FP2.”
Safety concerns were addressed, with Vasseur affirming that the adapted pace ensured driver safety, but added, “the target is not to be 30 seconds slower.” He expressed frustration over the missed opportunities to fully gauge Ferrari’s pace, highlighting that any potential advantage was difficult to assess amid persistent braking issues.
Vasseur concluded, “All race, we were ‘a bit more’, ‘a bit less’… In the end, you lose probably more on the reference for you when you are driving the car than on the pure potential.” This complexity underscored Ferrari’s ongoing challenges as the season progresses, with key developments necessary to reclaim their competitiveness.
