Ted Kravitz encountered a striking rejection from Ferrari’s team principal, Frederic Vasseur, during a live broadcast on Sky Sports F1 at the Qatar Grand Prix. The incident unfolded after the qualifying session on the evening of March 9, 2024, as Kravitz attempted to secure an interview while presenting his program, “Ted’s Notebook.”
As Vasseur walked through the paddock with deputy team principal Jerome D’Ambrosio, Kravitz caught sight of him and indicated his intention to pursue an interview. On air, he remarked, “Actually, we thought we were going to get an interview opportunity with him and that didn’t happen. So, should I run after him?” Despite his efforts, Kravitz found himself largely ignored as Vasseur seemingly quickened his pace toward the Ferrari garage.
The Sky Sports presenter managed to catch up with Vasseur, asking, “Better than yesterday, Fred?” in reference to Ferrari’s performance in qualifying. However, after repeating his question multiple times, he received no substantial response. Kravitz noted, “Well, he shrugged. Wow, I really didn’t get a response. In fact, I got a worse response than I thought I was going to get! Fred is not happy because they are not at the front, let’s put it that way.”
Ferrari’s performance during the qualifying round did not provide much reason for optimism. Lewis Hamilton faced another challenging session, qualifying in a disappointing 18th place. He only moved up one position on the starting grid for the race due to a penalty affecting Gabriel Bortoleto, who had qualified 14th but fell five places following a collision with Lance Stroll in Las Vegas.
For Charles Leclerc, the situation was similarly frustrating. He struggled with his car throughout the session, managing to reach Q3 but suffering a significant spin on his first flying lap. His subsequent times were slower than the competitors still on the track, leaving him to start the Grand Prix in 10th position.
Both drivers expressed a mixed outlook on their car’s performance. Hamilton stated, “The car felt a lot better; it just didn’t reflect that in the times. Honestly, the car felt a lot better than it was in the rest of the weekend. We were looking okay, and then we just didn’t get the last lap.” Leclerc echoed this sentiment, saying, “I agree with Lewis’ feeling. The car feels quite okay, doesn’t feel that much off the pace, but then when you look at the timings, we are very, very, very far [off]. It’s just the performance of the car at the moment; we are not where we want to be.”
As the teams prepared for the race, the tension surrounding Ferrari’s performance was palpable. Vasseur’s refusal to engage with Kravitz reflected the pressure facing the team as they struggled to keep pace with their competitors. The upcoming race promises to be a crucial opportunity for improvement, as both drivers seek to translate their optimistic feelings about the car into tangible results on the track.
