Ferrari fail to close gap
Italians not posing a threat to the dominance of Mercedes
THIS was the year Ferrari hoped to close the gap on Formula One rivals Mercedes but their home Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sunday showed just how far behind they remain.
Mercedes have romped to consecutive constructors’ titles having dominated the last two seasons but Ferrari, and fourtime world champion Sebastian Vettel, were confident of challenging this time.
Vettel was on the podium in third but after being comprehensively beaten by Mercedes’ pair Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton around Monza on Sunday, and thoroughly outpaced in Saturday qualifying.
“I think it’s been a mega day for Ferrari,” Vettel insisted. “I think it felt even more than last year, which is great and hopefully it all peaks next year.
“You’re always aiming for the top step, also to give the maximum support back.
“Obviously our mission doesn’t stop here. It’s only the beginning. We want to win. That’s what we really want. That’s what the people deserve as well.”
Vettel’s teammate Kimi Raikkonen was fourth on the day but the pair are fourth and fifth in the drivers’ standings – behind Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo in addition to Hamilton and Rosberg.
And while Vettel won three Grands Prix last season, this term it was Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who took advantage with victory in Spain on the only occasion Mercedes slipped up.
“It is clear no fan in (Fer- rari) red can be ian paper Gazzetta Della Sport said yesterday, echoing the pre-Monza view of president Sergio Marchionne that the team has failed this season.
“There are enough people in Ferrari able to work at the top of the sport,” team principal Maurizio Arrivabene said. “But of course he (Marchionne) is not happy with the results so far.
“Of course we had hoped for more so far – and we’ve taken some action and my guess is that for the last races we should be on an upward trend.”
While Ferrari struggle, the drivers’ title remains a third battle between Mercedes teammates Rosberg and Hamilton. Rosberg’s second successive win cut the gap to his rival at the top of the standings to just two points as he capitalised on Hamilton’s latest poor start from pole.
“The race is on with Lewis of course, it’s always going to be a great battle and I look forward to what’s to come,” Rosberg said.
Britain’s Guardian paper said Hamilton “gifted” the win to Rosberg, pointing out it was his fourth bad start of the season, and the reigning champion admitted that was when he lost the race.
“I think at that moment you only think about getting back to where you started,” Hamilton said. “So I’d fallen back and my goal was to try and get back up to where I was … of course I knew that at quite an early stage that winning the race was not going to be possible but I would try but I got up to second and that’s the best I could do with such a loss at the start.”