An Australian slap for Ferrari: worrying for the future?
Favorite after the winter tests, the Italian team missed the mark in this Australian Grand Prix. A temporary setback linked only to the circuit?
No driver in red on the podium in Melbourne: an unthinkable result three weeks ago, on the evening of the last laps in Barcelona for pre-season testing. However, Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc finished behind the two Mercedes, and behind Max Verstappen’s Red Bull-Honda. Worse, the German ended up a minute behind Valtteri Bottas, the day’s winner!
Even penalized by a too early tire change (15th lap), Vettel never really caught up with Hamilton, who stopped one lap later than him. The four-time world champion then slipped, smoothly passed by Verstappen on the 31st lap.
« We were just too slow », the #5 driver said as he got out of the car. « We scored a decent total of points, but it’s not the result we had hoped for. » So, what is the source of the problem? Difficult to say after the fact. While Vettel first blames the tires, his words are still those of a man without certainties.
« To be honest, I don’t know what really happened. The second stint was just way too slow. Max and Charles stopped ten laps later and they didn’t have my problems. I even wondered if we had another issue. I didn’t have the grip to go faster! »
But the race is not the only disappointing moment of the weekend, as Vettel had already been six-tenths behind Hamilton, the poleman, after qualifying. We have never been satisfied with the car throughout the weekend. The year will be long, but we need to understand our lack of performance. I am surprised and shocked by the gap with Mercedes.
Sebastian Vettel on the team radio: Why are we so slow? 😢
Ferrari: We don’t know. pic.twitter.com/7SXugppycj
— Sebastian Vettel #5 (@sebvettelnews) March 17
Vainqueur des deux dernières éditions avant Bottas, Vettel repart donc de l’Australie avec des problèmes à résoudre. Si le circuit australien est atypique, de par son revêtement et ses bosses, la SF90 n’a quand même pas montré entière satisfaction. Pour l’instant, la Scuderia se rassure comme elle peut. « Ce circuit n’est pas idéal pour nous. Ses caractéristiques ne conviennent pas à notre voiture », confiait déjà le team principal Mattia Binotto samedi à l’issue des qualifications. Le Grand Prix de Bahrein s’annonce déjà crucial pour une team qui doit au moins remporter l’un des deux titres cette saison.
In the meantime, the Scuderia is also making headlines for its internal policy, with this radio message addressed to Leclerc at the end of the race, ordered to stay in fifth place behind Vettel.
