HALF TERM REPORT: Ferrari – A downturn in performance dampens spirits, but can they reach the top once again?

Standing as the most famous team in F1 history, the expectations on Ferrari to perform at their best are relentless year in, year out. While they have certainly improved on last year, 2024 has still been full of highs and lows for the Scuderia, going from emphatic race wins to team mate tussles and everything in between. Here’s the iconic team’s half term report…

• Read all the 2024 half term reports here

Best finish

Carlos Sainz – 1st in Australia; Charles Leclerc – 1st in Monaco

Ferrari have undoubtedly had flashes of brilliance this year, claiming two race wins earlier in the season on outings in Australia and Monaco. Considering that they appeared to be Red Bull’s closest rival in the opening races, tallying up just two victories could be a slight disappointment, especially as the field is significantly more open this year.

Looking on the bright side, the team’s wins have come in magnificent fashion; they claimed the first non-Red Bull victory of the season with Sainz, while Leclerc conquered his infamous Monaco home curse.

At the Australian Grand Prix, Sainz took advantage of Max Verstappen’s early technical issues and built up a solid lead over his competitors, beating his team mate to the chequered flag to take the third victory of his career.

Leclerc’s home race win was even more satisfying, ending a string of misfortune that annually saw him lose out in Monaco. It was a classic Ferrari victory: tifosi tears of joy, a sea of red, and a moment truly for the history books.

Qualifying head-to-head

Leclerc 8-5 Sainz

The Monegasque driver has so far managed to outqualify his team mate on eight occasions.

Leclerc has continued to improve on his impressive one-lap pace this year, taking two pole positions, albeit with the one in Belgium coming as somewhat of a surprise as he benefitted from Verstappen’s grid penalty.

At the same time, some Saturday sessions have been miserable for the Scuderia, most notably in Canada where – one race after their Monaco heroics – both drivers failed to make it out of Q2.

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Race head-to-head

Leclerc 7-5 Sainz

It has been a fairly tight competition between the two Ferrari drivers this season, with both proving that they can finish on the podium when strategy allows for it. Sainz got off to a flying start in the opening races, taking a trophy three times in three starts, leaving him questioning what could have been if appendicitis had not ruled him out of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

But as everyone looked on in awe at the resurgence of McLaren, Ferrari’s pace could not keep up, forcing the duo to scrap for lower points finishes. Since Leclerc’s Monaco victory, they have claimed just one podium apiece, with the Monegasque narrowly getting the better of his team mate.

Best moment

What could be better than amassing two race wins? The answer there is probably getting more than two, but for Sainz, returning to the front of the pack mere weeks after having surgery was a remarkable moment. This was especially the case as he replicated his record from 2023 of being the only non-Red Bull winner; of course, that’s no longer applicable this season, but it was sweet while it lasted.

Similarly, Leclerc’s long-awaited home victory was as perfect as he could have dreamed; he took pole position, led every lap, and polished it all off by diving into the Monte Carlo marina.

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Worst moment

The Spanish Grand Prix was particularly eventful for the Scuderia. On the face of it, crossing the line in fifth and sixth doesn’t sound like the worst result, but the race was marred by conflict within the team.

With Leclerc saving his tyres early on, Sainz squeezed past him on Lap 3, briefly making contact and running off-track before taking P5. The tight overtake could have paid off, with the Spaniard coming close to passing both Mercedes at various points during the race.

However, strategy calls cost him a bigger haul of points before team orders led to Leclerc taking back P5. Neither driver was pleased – the combination of their early clash, finishing over 20 seconds behind the winner, and unsuccessful split strategies making for a rough weekend.

Going forward

F1 is having its most competitive season in years – and when everyone goes into a race weekend not knowing for certain who is going to win, those tiny margins become pivotal. Unfortunately for Ferrari, they often find themselves on the wrong side of those margins, which could ultimately make the difference in where they finish in the constructors’ standings.

The team has two exceptionally strong drivers and a respected leader in the form of Fred Vasseur – so there is little stopping them following in the footsteps of Mercedes and McLaren, who have done a superb job in capitalising on Red Bull’s slip in form.

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They finished the first half of the season on a relative high, with Leclerc inheriting a podium finish following George Russell’s disqualification in Belgium. But when you consider that the Ferrari driver started on pole, their result could have been even better.

Despite that, the team are only 21 points behind McLaren and have a healthy gap back to Mercedes in fourth. There are numerous reports that the Woking outfit could challenge Red Bull for the constructors’ crown this year, but not nearly as many saying the same about Ferrari.

Further upgrades that help them deal with their struggles at high speeds would be ideal to decrease their performance deficit; Leclerc has called for these to be brought in “as soon as possible”. With Vasseur’s belief that the upcoming run of Monza, Baku and Singapore should produce some strong results, Ferrari can look to maintain pace with their rivals and keep an eye on that P2 spot in the championship... or maybe even higher.