Analysis: Is there really a Mercedes-Ferrari rivalry?

For a few years, Formula 1 fans have had the opportunity to witness a colossal battle between two giants of motor racing: Mercedes and Ferrari. While the Italian team has always played the role of the underdog in this battle, 2019 was supposed to turn the tables. Unfortunately for the Reds, the situation has indeed changed, but in the wrong direction: the Scuderia seems to be fighting for second place in the standings!

During this season’s winter testing, the SF90 seemed to be the car to beat, but things have changed since February and Mercedes is starting to move towards a sixth title, both drivers and constructors!

While it was thought that Ferrari’s poor performance in Australia was an exception, the next four races proved otherwise. Despite the Maranello team masterfully dominating the Bahrain Grand Prix, an engine problem on Leclerc’s car deprived him of his first Formula 1 victory and left the field open for the two Mercedes drivers.

Unlike in Bahrain, China, Baku, and Spain never made the Scuderia believe they had even a slight chance of victory, with a clear domination of the silver arrows over the competition.

For comparison, at the end of the 2018 Spanish Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel was second in the championship, only 17 points behind Lewis Hamilton, and at the same time, Ferrari was conceding only around twenty points to Mercedes. The prancing horse team had already secured two victories (in Australia and Bahrain).

The problem for Ferrari clearly seems to be its chassis, which is far inferior to that of its main rival. The numbers vary, but the SF90 would lose nearly 8 tenths in slow corners compared to the W10. In addition to this loss of pace at low speed, the red car can only rely on its engine, which partially compensates for some shortcomings. Could the problem be due to the choice of this very open wing?

If Toto Wolff’s team continues to lead this championship so firmly, the red camp might be forced to fight with Red Bull for second place in the standings. This is not an improbable scenario when we consider the good form of the red bull cars since the beginning of the season. Another fact that could confirm the emergence of this battle is Max Verstappen’s consistency with his RB15. If the Dutchman is not ahead of the Ferraris, he is never far behind or separating them.

TEAM 💪 #DrivenByEachOther pic.twitter.com/fpJSE0z1aH

— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) May 12, 2019

Unlike its Italian rival, the Red Bull car seems to perform well in slow corners. While the engine still seems to be lacking, it’s a safe bet that Honda won’t take long to make up for lost ground. Now the Austrian team will have to rely more than ever on Pierre Gasly to bring home major points and match the pace of his teammate.

It will be interesting to see if Ferrari can catch up with Mercedes and if Red Bull, only about forty points behind the team from Maranello, can beat them and establish themselves as a regular contender for victory.

Barcelona sunshine ☀️🇪🇸 The #SpanishGP from an artistic angle 📷👉 https://t.co/VQLo4Brtus #F1 pic.twitter.com/ynlZd3tOu0

— Aston Martin Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) May 13, 2019