Vasseur stokes F1 title fight after statement Monaco win

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has hinted at the possibility of a title fight this season after the Italian squad's victory in Monaco.

Charles Leclerc converted pole position to victory on Sunday to win around his home streets for the first time in his career.

The victory marked Ferrari's second of the campaign so far after it triumphed at the Australian Grand Prix with Carlos Sainz in March.

Ferrari's title drought stretches back to the 2008 season, however, along with McLaren, it has presented Red Bull an increased challenge in the opening rounds of the current campaign.

“If you have a look at the last three or four races, we had everybody [within] one-tenth, even on the long stint,” Vasseur told media including RacingNews365.

“In Miami, we did 40 laps to finish two seconds behind Max and at Imola it was 36 laps for six seconds.

“I think now we have at least three teams but Mercedes is not that far away.

“These three teams are able to fight for the pole position, able to fight for the win. It's exciting and I hope it will be like this until the end of the season.”

Title fight

Red Bull has won five out of the opening eight races, with McLaren and Lando Norris coming out on top in Miami earlier this month.

As he praised the step forward his Ferrari squad has made, Vasseur also anticipated the pecking order at the front will change from race to race, bringing the title fight late into the campaign.

“For sure depending from track to track, Red Bull [will have] an advantage or Ferrari or McLaren,” he said. 

“We will have to be opportunistic, it was not always the case in the past, last year we lost far too many points into the season and this season we made a huge step forward on this one also.

“We are much more opportunistic and it will be like this until the end of the season, the fight could be tight.”