Vasseur makes bold F1 title fight prediction

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has predicted that no team will "dominate" the final rounds of the F1 season, with it being more about capitalising on any opportunities. 

The Maranello-based outfit sit 36 points behind McLaren ahead of Saturday night's Las Vegas Grand Prix, with Ferrari's target being to reduce the margin to its rival. 

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc ended the opening day in fourth and fifth, behind Lando Norris in second, respectively.

Las Vegas could see a chaotic race, whilst McLaren expect to be very strong next weekend in Qatar. 

With the variation of circuits and temperatures which will see out the 2024 F1 season, Vasseur does not see any team in the title fight having an edge or an advantage.

"It's not a matter of momentum this season," said Vasseur. "If you have a look, I think Red Bull was dominating the first three or four races at the beginning of the season. 

"Then we had a good sequence, and then it was Mercedes during the summertime and then it was McLaren again and us again. It's so tight that it's moving from one weekend to another. 

"It's not the momentum or whatever that now we have the last three events in front of us with completely different characteristics for the track and for the temperature." 

Belgian GP flashback

Looking ahead to the final rounds in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, Vasseur expects the final rounds to follow a similar pattern to the Belgian Grand Prix. 

Back at Spa-Francorchamps, Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes all topped at least one session. 

Vasseur does not think one team will dominate the final rounds, but that instead all of the big teams will top sessions.

"It's not a matter of one car dominating," added Vasseur. "I keep in mind the weekend of Spa when you had Verstappen [topping] FP1, and then McLaren [topping] FP2, and then it was probably Mercedes [topping] FP3, then we started from pole, and then Mercedes won the race. 

"And the four teams were dominating one session [each] during the weekend. And I think it will be like this until the end of the season. 

"It means that you have to be at the right moment at the right place. But it's not a matter that someone will dominate the next four or five events."