Ferrari to bounce back from poor performance in Mexico, say Red Bull and Mercedes
After a Mexican Grand Prix in which the Ferraris were on the back foot, their rivals believe that the Scuderia will soon be back in action. 5th and 6th in the last race, the Italian team's drivers had a strange race in which they were never able to find their rhythm. It was a poor performance that left Red Bull and Mercedes in no doubt.
The 2022 season of Ferrari is a true step forward for the Scuderia, because despite sometimes disappointing results, the Italian car is very performant. Charles Leclerc has clearly demonstrated the potential and speed on a lap, with 9 pole positions this season.
However, the Mexican Grand Prix could lead us to think otherwise, given how much the Ferraris struggled. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished the race in 5th and 6th positions, with the fastest of the two drivers from the Italian team being almost a minute behind the race winner, Max Verstappen.
But this poor performance should be taken with a grain of salt. Indeed, the Mexican track was not advantageous for the Italian race cars, which revealed their flaws.
So, when Motorsport questions Christian Horner, the boss of Red Bull, about the form of the Mercedes that overshadowed Ferrari at the last Grand Prix, he answers: “I think this track favored their strengths. Ferrari seemed a bit handicapped this weekend, so I’m not sure we saw their true pace. I’m sure they will bounce back.”
Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes, wants to put into perspective the excellent performances of the Silver Arrows, which were superior to Ferrari in this penultimate round of the season. He stated to Motorsport: « They are a strong team. We have had some competitive Sundays, but maybe this circuit has highlighted us. I think that after Brazil, the situation may be clearer, but I don’t think they suddenly became 30 seconds slower than us. »
Charles Leclerc drops in the standings.
The Italian team was consistently struggling throughout the weekend and never managed to find the pace of the frontrunners. The drivers were hindered by a car with precarious behavior and an unreliable engine. Ferrari will need to quickly rally to find a solution to these major issues, as there are only two races left in the championship. Charles Leclerc now sits in 3rd place in the drivers’ world standings. The Monegasque driver, who has been in the fight for the championship, has lost his second-place position after this challenging weekend in Mexico.
Mattia Binotto, the boss of Ferrari, declares on Motorsport’s microphone: « The behavior of the car and its balance were not great. I’m sure that if I listen to the drivers during the debriefing later, they will tell me that the car was not turning. The reason why it was the case, we need to find it.
