Ferrari: Lancing the Abscess and Understanding the Weaknesses
Ferrari is adamant: it knows how to bounce back to the top of the standings according to its director Marco Mattiacci.
The Scuderia Ferrari admitted after the Austrian Grand Prix that it would be impossible to close the gap with Mercedes, which is why Ferrari is starting to work towards 2015. Marco Mattiacci explained his vision to his team after observing its operations.
He expressed himself in the columns of Autosport: After the Canadian GP, it was important to come together, talk, clear the air, and understand that there is a clear direction to take in understanding our weaknesses. Mattiacci added: There is a direction working to fill these gaps. But, in terms of strategy, we keep the key points to ourselves. I am not going to give an advantage to the competitors.
Although Ferrari is experiencing a tough start to the season, Fernando Alonso claims that progress is being made. However, the Spanish driver believes it is almost impossible to catch up with the competition: « We have made progress with the car. But it’s hard to judge what others have done, how they are improving. There is nothing we can do. We must work hard and work better than the others, aiming to close the gap with Mercedes, who are the benchmark. All teams have their ups and downs, including us, but I hope that we have the resources, that we have the necessary technology to make progress compared to the others. »
The Mercedes engine is currently the most efficient on fast circuits, as further confirmed by the Austrian Grand Prix held in Spielberg, where seven cars powered by a German hybrid unit finished among the top eight. The Ferrari power unit, on the other hand, seems to suffer from a power deficit, coupled with a possible overweight issue. When asked if he thinks the Ferrari engine is the main weakness in the F14-T package, Marco Mattiacci replied: « I think Ferrari is not doing a better job than Mercedes. It’s the entire package that is not as competitive as Mercedes. Clearly, Mercedes is doing a better job than Ferrari. »
Currently, Ferrari is in third place in the constructors’ standings, with 98 points, trailing Red Bull by 45 points, who are in second, and 203 points behind Mercedes, who are in the lead.
