Despite Charles Leclerc finishing fourth and Lewis Hamilton sixth, Vasseur believes the Scuderia showed better pace and competitiveness.
Ferrari remain one of the top four teams this season but are still the only one yet to win a grand prix.
They are second in the Constructors’ Championship, but the margins to Mercedes (just behind them) and McLaren (ahead) are shrinking.
Vasseur said Monza offered the “smallest gap of the season” between Ferrari and McLaren. “I think today we were very close to McLaren, the gap was minimal, probably the smallest of the season when comparing ourselves to them,” he has said.
He acknowledged there is more work to do but believes there are circuits coming up where Ferrari should be strong.
Hamilton’s weekend was also encouraging, according to Vasseur. Starting from tenth on the grid (after a penalty) and finishing sixth, Hamilton “recovered into a better position” during the race. Vasseur added that the support from the tifosi gave Hamilton “an extra boost all over the weekend.”
With eight rounds left in the season, Ferrari are pushing to defend second place in the Constructors’ standings. McLaren remain ahead, and Red Bull (despite some struggles) could still become a contender for positions further up the table if trends shift.
Next up: the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit over 51 laps, on Sunday, 21 September.
