F1 'qualifying championship' statement issued by team principal

Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Fred Vasseur believes the destination of this year's championship titles could ultimately be decided by how each team performs in qualifying.

His comments come in the wake of last weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, where the order of the top six at the start of the race remained unchanged come the chequered flag.

Indeed Lewis Hamilton - on his third outing for the Scuderia - was the only driver in the top 10 to complete an overtake during the entire race, getting past Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar to take seventh spot in the early stages.

Speaking to F1 media, Vasseur admitted that it's essential that his team improve their results in qualifying if they want to challenge for silverware.

“For sure, qualifying is always crucial in the performance,” said the Frenchman. “The smaller the gap is between cars, the more true that is... because you are in the group of cars.

“It's not that you are just one fighting with the guy in front of you. Yes, it will probably be a quali championship.”

Ferrari's early season struggles continue

It was a frustrating weekend for the Italian giants in Suzuka, with both Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc - who finished fourth - unable to offer any serious threat towards the top of the grid.

Neither driver has yet featured on the podium of a feature race in 2025, with their hopes of fighting for the drivers' championships diminishing with each passing week.

Their early season struggles have also ensured the team face an uphill battle to get in contention for the constructors' title, despite just being three grands prix into the campaign.

Heading into round four in Bahrain this weekend, last year's runners-up already have plenty of ground to make up on McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull - who were boosted by Max Verstappen's first win of the season on Sunday.

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