Ferrari already under pressure

The once-unstoppable Ferrari team are already under pressure this season after just one Formula One race.

The Italian fallen giants are scrambling to push through aerodynamic improvements in time for Sunday’s Styrian Grand Prix in Austria.

Instead of closing the gap to front-runner Mercedes this season, Ferrari’s SF1000 car looks slower than last year and is also in danger of slipping behind other teams.

“The SF1000 didn’t measure up, even compared to expectations”, was Ferrari’s blunt assessment.

Ferrari failed in qualifying at the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc only seventh — having taken the most pole positions in 2019 — and Sebastian Vettel a dismal 11th.

Bizarrely, Leclerc finished second, but that was down to driver composure, retirements and good fortune rather than the car’s speed. Vettel, who finished 10th, was so irked about lack of balance he called the car undriveable.

It means that Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is facing increasing pressure, given that the team were already way behind Mercedes in the drivers’ and constructors’ titles in 2019.

His decision-making also faced scrutiny after a sudden change of strategy, three days before the first practice session in Austria.

He announced a different direction in terms of aerodynamic development.

But then hierarchy intervened. Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri felt it was necessary to stop slipping back further and some of the aerodynamic package — scheduled for Hungary — will be introduced in Austria.

“This is certainly not the grid position that a team like Ferrari should have and we have to respond immediately,” Camilleri said. “It’s clear that we have to improve on all fronts.”