Mid-season review – Ferrari: so many missed opportunities

The important numbers

Constructors’ standings position: 3rd

Pole: 0

Podiums: 9

Victory: 0

Best result: 2nd (Vettel: China, Canada, Europe/ Räikkönen: Bahrain, Spain)

Best qualification: 2nd (Vettel: Russia)

Big initial ambitions

For a team like Ferrari, not having won a championship since 2008 is starting to seriously stand out, especially since the team continues to receive the most money from the FOM due to its historical legacy in the sport.

The men from Maranello spent their winter repeating that they hoped to be closer to the Mercedes and that the title was clearly the stated objective. The start of the Australian Grand Prix seems to prove them right as Sebastian Vettel jumps from third place on the grid to take the lead. He isn’t troubled for most of the race until he has to concede to the Mercedes’ comeback, which opted for a more aggressive tire strategy that pays off. The German thus has to settle for a third place, which is still promising.

Reliability and strategies that leave much to be desired

If hope is therefore warranted, a first hitch throws a wrench into Scuderia’s ambitions. Indeed, Kimi Räikkönen was forced to retire prematurely when his turbo failed as early as the 21st lap of the first race of the season. This was only the first mechanical issue to hit Ferrari. Thus, during the formation lap of the next Grand Prix, it was Sebastian Vettel’s turn to be let down by his mechanics. He is therefore not even able to line up on the starting grid. Kimi Räikkönen capitalizes on another incident for Lewis Hamilton to climb to the second step of the podium.

During the Chinese Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel, defeated for the first time in the qualifying exercise, is finally able to step onto his first podium of the season, finishing second. However, the gap with Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes still reaches 37 seconds, highlighting the performance disparity between the two cars. Meanwhile, Kimi Räikkönen has to settle for fifth place.

We think the Red team’s season is finally underway, but a new incident occurs right at the start of the Sochi Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel bears the brunt of Daniil Kvyat’s overwhelming optimism and has to park his car into the safety barriers by the third corner. Kimi Räikkönen finishes behind the two Mercedes, in third position, once again 30 seconds behind the lead car.

When the two Mercedes collide on the first lap of the Spanish Grand Prix, it seems that Ferrari has a unique opportunity to win their first race of the season. However, as Sebastian Vettel holds second place early in the race, he once again falls victim to a less than optimal strategy from his pit wall, relegating him to third place. Kimi Räikkönen, having opted for a different strategy, doesn’t have enough acceleration out of the corners to threaten Max Verstappen and thus has to settle for a final second place.

If the difficult conditions of the Monaco Grand Prix end with an unfinished taste with Sebastian Vettel in 4th place and a retirement for Kimi Räikkönen, a good series for Ferrari then begins. Thus, in Canada and Baku, Sebastian Vettel finishes second while Kimi Räikkönen finishes third in the Austrian Grand Prix. But this last event is once again the scene of a risky strategy by Ferrari: condemned to a 9th place on the grid due to a gearbox change, Sebastian Vettel tries to extend his first stint as much as possible. But this results in his tire exploding on the straight in the 26th lap.

The return of Red Bull

If Ferrari was never able to challenge Mercedes, it was always able to be solidly the second force in the championship. But this trend is reversing in the last races before the break. Thus, it is no longer able to maintain its lead over Red Bull, which is clearly regaining form. In Great Britain, Sebastian Vettel had to settle for 9th place and Kimi Räikkönen for 5th, while Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo finished second and fourth.

In Hungary, Kimi Räikkönen, after a missed qualifying session finishing in 14th place, makes a nice comeback but must once again concede to Max Verstappen and settle for 6th place while Sebastian Vettel finishes on Daniel Ricciardo’s tail, just off the podium.

The decisive blow is struck at Hockenheim when both Red Bulls finish on the podium while the two Ferraris settle for 5th and 6th places. This allows the Milton Keynes team to take the second place in the Constructors’ Championship, just before the summer break.

A new organizational change

This lack of top-tier results led to a palace revolution, the kind Ferrari is known for. Thus, having arrived in 2013, James Allison, the technical director, was forced to pack his bags even though the F1 development timelines meant that this season’s car was the first to bear his mark 100%.

This change of technical director means that Ferrari will once again have to wait for his successor to make his mark, which means that Ferrari could very well go a decade without a Drivers’ (2007) or Constructors’ (2008) title. Not exactly the way to bring back the necessary calm and stability… At least, the in-house engineers can rely on the technical feedback from the same drivers since Kimi Räikkönen has been renewed and will be retained for the next season.