Vasseur details F1 2023's fine line between success and 'disaster'

Frederic Vasseur has detailed the fine line that separated success from "disaster" in the 2023 Formula 1 season.

Behind Red Bull, the chasing pack was close, with Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Aston Martin all vying for best of the rest on any given Grand Prix weekend.

The form fluctuations between teams was vast, owing to sizeable upgrade packages and some teams falling behind in the development race as Ferrari turned its SF-23 around.

The car struggled in the early part of the season, but after the summer break, it proved a capable qualifying machine, with Carlos Sainz also winning in Singapore.

It was not quite enough for Ferrari to reel in Mercedes for second, but Vasseur pointed out the difference a bad set-up or track could make to a team's fortunes on a weekend.

"We had different momentum during the season," Vasseur told media including RacingNews365.

"It is true that Carlos was very, very strong after the summer break, and Charles was flying in the last six or seven events, but I think overall the evolution that we had in the team was a good one.

"We don't have to keep in mind races like [Abu Dhabi] for Carlos, he won in Singapore, was on pole in Monza.

"All throughout the season, it was true that for every single team, except Max, everybody has been down during the season, and it's been very tight.

"Sometimes, because you like the track or your set-up of the car likes the track, you can move from Row 3 to P10 and it is a disaster, but it means we have to stick to our approach."