F1 success is ‘like cooking’, says Ferrari head chef Fred Vasseur

JEDDAH – Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur on April 18 likened success in the cauldron of Formula One to “cooking” after his team made a sluggish start to 2025, Lewis Hamilton’s debut win in Scuderia red in the sprint race in China aside.

The iconic Italian marque, without a drivers’ title since Kimi Raikkonen won in 2007, are struggling to take the fight to leaders McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull, with Charles Leclerc’s pair of fourth-place finishes in Japan and Bahrain their best results.

In the constructors’ battle Ferrari are fourth, lagging 94 points behind McLaren after four rounds of the 24-race season.

Vasseur said there was no quick fix, with the teams so close in performance after the period of Red Bull domination.

“The ingredients are all there, but it’s like cooking. You have to put the ingredients together at the right stage,” said the Frenchman, 56, ahead of this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

With his good humour and lively intelligence, Vasseur has proved an assured leader of Ferrari.

“You have to stay calm,” he added. “It’s not a drama. This is only the fifth race. I think it’s true for us, but it’s true for everybody.

“Today, the front of the pack is so tight that a small mistake can cost five or six positions.

“It means that we need to stay calm and do the analysis.”

Hamilton, only naturally, is taking time to get “bedded in” at his new employers after 12 years with Mercedes.

The seven-time world champion has spoken openly about getting to grips with Ferrari’s SF-25 car and it is a different character from the Silver Arrows.

“My focus this weekend is driving style, really getting on top of the circuit and getting into a rhythm,” said the Briton, who arrived in Saudi Arabia after an encouraging fifth in Bahrain last weekend.

“I’ve got a lot of work to do to adapt the way I approach corners, but it’s not impossible. It might just take a little bit of time, but hopefully not too long.”

One man who has no doubts Hamilton will make a success of his move to Ferrari is former teammate George Russell.

“We saw it in China, second race of the season, on pole in the sprint, wins the race comfortably,” said Russell who has impressively stepped up into Hamilton’s previous role as team leader at Mercedes.

“I know what he’s capable of, and it’s not easy going into a new team and the competition is tough. But he’s an amazing driver and I’m sure, when things start to click, as they did in China, we’ll see more of that magic.”

Meanwhile, Racing Bulls boss Peter Bayer said that Liam Lawson has picked himself up from being dropped by Red Bull in March and is back to his old self.

The New Zealander was promoted to the main Red Bull team after they split with underperforming Mexican Sergio Perez, but lasted only two races before being demoted back to sister team Racing Bulls in a straight swop with Yuki Tsunoda.

Although the 23-year-old has yet to score a point in four races this season while rookie teammate Isack Hadjar has opened his account, team chief Bayer sounded positive in Saudi Arabia.

“I think it took a moment for him to digest,” the Austrian said of how Lawson had been since his return.

“First time I saw him when he came to Italy, he looked a bit sad. Honestly, that’s how I perceived him.

“He was a bit puzzled with everything that happened very quickly.

“But also, at the same time, he knew the people, the tools, the set-up. And I really felt that very quickly he was returning to being the old Liam.

“He’s a great racer, somebody that has great humour, and that’s what we see now again.” AFP, REUTERS