Ferrari has been the 2024 season's second-best team so far, but didn't live up to those expectations at last weekend's Shanghai event.
Having had at least one driver on the podium across the first four races, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz only qualified sixth and seventh respectively, six-tenths off Max Verstappen.
The pair managed to move ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and Aston Martin man Fernando Alonso to finish fourth and fifth, but still fell well short of challenging McLaren's Lando Norris, who convincingly grabbed second.
Team principal Vasseur said his team "made too many mistakes" trying to optimise its package for the tricky Shanghai circuit and its unusual tarmac coating, which led to being behind the curve in qualifying.
"I think it's really a matter of putting everything together," Vasseur explained. "We didn't have a clean weekend on our side, but we made collectively too many mistakes.
"In this group, if you don't do the perfect job you won't be in front. We have a pack with six or seven cars in one-tenth in qualifying. That means that due to details you can move from hero to zero."
Source: Autosport