The Italian Job Ferrari ready to give Mercedes a dose of Vettel
The German wants to give Germans a taste of their own medicine
● Sebastian Vettel says he does “not really” feel any extra pressure driving for Ferrari at their home race. The German is 17 points behind Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, the championship leader, but the favourite to win today’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
“Everyone can feel something special is going on. We have a good car, but we need to make it happen,” said Vettel.
Vettel believes Ferrari can hand Formula One champions Mercedes a taste of their own medicine and give the Italian fans a home win to savour today.
Mercedes have won for four years in a row at Monza, with Hamilton in pole position every time, but that dominance has faded this season with Ferrari on the pace and picking up momentum.
After a commanding performance in Belgium last weekend, the German’s fifth victory in 13 races, Vettel arrives with the local “tifosi” dreaming of Ferrari’s first win at Monza since 2010.
Now closing in on Hamilton, Vettel has had to dampen unrealistic hopes in the past, but this time the four-time champion is revelling in the mood — if still taking nothing for granted.
“I find it quite nice that we get put in this position,” Vettel told reporters when asked about Mercedes’ “power deficit” to Ferrari.
He acknowledged that Ferrari were “going in the right direction”, but he emphasised that Mercedes “is still very strong”.
He added: “It is good to see we are getting stronger. In some areas, we have caught up. In others, maybe we have a little bit of an edge. That is where we want to be, and maybe even beyond that.
“We want to keep that level through the year, and if there is a gap, to increase it. It is going in the right way, but there are a lot of things that can be improved and we need to focus on those and go step by step.
“It is a great feeling when you can fight for pole and victory. It is what you want.”
Hamilton said he felt that Mercedes’ biggest deficit was a lack of traction out of the slow corners that precede the longest straights at Spa.
Different layout
The Briton added that he hoped the different layout of Monza, where he dominated last year after a close fight with Vettel in Belgium, would better suit the Mercedes.
Speaking last Sunday after the Belgian Grand Prix, he said: “Luckily, apart from Turn One, it is not that slow there, so I am hoping the traction loss we are having in these super slow corners won’t be as bad there.”
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff added: “The last race where we have been quickest in pure pace was Silverstone [in early July]. Since then, Ferrari have been quicker.
“Monza was a good one [for Mercedes last year], so I am very curious to see how it is going to go in Monza. Last year we were very much in control of the whole weekend. Ferrari had their worst weekend of the whole season, performance-wise.
“I am not worried. I think we should still address the opportunities that exist within our car, where we need to optimise — and only that will make us win the championship.”