Ferrari, the greatest team in formula one ever. That is fact. The things they have done have innovated formula one, the 2000-2004 they were extremely dominant, they had one of the greatest drivers driving for them, and they had a brilliant if not the best team principle that been in F1. Now they find themselves will the best car, in F1, why are they not leading the championship, in both drivers and constructors?
Bahrain, the first warning sign.
40 points, that is what is in it now. 150 points up for grabs. Singapore was vital for Vettel, he had a car that looked like it was going to take victory before it even touched Singapore. Vettel needed to win this weekend, and he didn’t. He didn’t take pole and he didn’t win, why was that? Well it unsure. But it simply comes down partially to strategy.
Bahrain, the first warning sign. The second race of the year saw victory for the Italian team, sure. But it left them in an unseen dilemma. They faced their first trouble as they got pushed into a one stop by Mercedes. It was something none of us expected to happen. Mercedes were using the optimum strategy which saw them be able to take a longer stint in the race on both tyres, Ferrari however did not. Yes, Ferrari prevailed but this was a glimpse of what was yet to come. But distantly behind was the Finnish teammate of Vettel, whom seemed to have his rave ruined by seeing if a strategy would work for Vettel.
Then Baku, it wasn’t necessarily a strategic error but it totally was at the same time. But, then it can also be laid at Vettel’s feet of fault. Baku, saw another crazy race for a second year in a row. But it also saw Ferrari not winning again. Mercedes we yet to win but this track had not been kind to the reigning world champion in the past. Everything was going swimmingly for Vettel until…
THEY CRASHED!
A safety car, and it all went wrong from there for Ferrari. Bottas was in front and Hamilton on brand new tyres just behind. Vettel went for move which cost him a podium finish. It saw a Force India displace him. It didn’t seem to get better. Then the championship swung.
The Mercedes Pirelli tyres hit us for the first time in this dear formula one season in Barcelona, Spain. These tyres were said to suit the Mercedes better as they were created for them, even though everyone got blistering on these tyres. You look back, and they [Ferrari] eventually got the grip on the tyres but not until the last race with them. The Spanish Grand Prix saw Hamilton take a back to back victory and convert pole to an almost way to easily win. Vettel and Riakkonen, well the Finnish number two was out of the race. Sure, this article could go on about the Pirelli tyres but it won’t.
Moving forward, let’s get straight to it. Germany. Remember the articles after Hamilton had a hydraulic problem – “Is this the turning point of the championship?” You know because Vettel took a pole on home turf and Hamilton would start way back in 14th. The race was very much going Vettel’s way. Then, then something started to happen, from the dark clouds above the Hockenheim circuit, rain slowly started to fall. Rain is Hamilton’s playground. Suddenly, it started to go up in arms, and then the smallest of mistakes cost Vettel, victory and points. The championship swung back as Hamilton took a very important victory from 14th on the grid. Was this the turning point of the championship? Ferrari had a 1-2, then in the space of a couple of laps it belonged to Mercedes on their home turf. The roles reversed from the tale of Silverstone.
Then Hungary approached. Shockingly Hamilton took pole, this time he provided a masterclass of how to run in the rain. Vettel whom easily had the better car in the dry conditions, Hungary was a track, we all went into expecting the Mercedes to be starting third at best. We all could have seen and expected a rather easy Ferrari win. The racing gods did not want that tale to occur, Hamilton stormed to victory taking away what should have been a Ferrari win for certain. It saw Hamilton have an unexpected lead as we headed into 4 weeks without the single seaters.
Spa, it went very well. Vettel took the victory and it looked like the championship battel had been relit, we were in for a brilliant second half of the season. Spa, was rubbish, apart from the lap 1 turn one incident. But it was not a race we all expected it to be right? It turned into a somewhat boring race, and we just all had to sit and watch Eau Rouge and appreciate the backdrop that was Belgium. The championship battel looked better than ever in Spa, it once was Mercedes’ hunting ground and now Vettel was steaming ahead quickly of the Mercedes, it was all going perfect for the Italian team. But I sit here now and I’m talking of what changed only 3 weeks later.
Only a week after we endured the boring race that was Spa. The F1 paddock headed to the circuit of passion. The tifosi and their beloved Ferrari. The passion at the circuit is unreal, and it is one of, what I chose to label, the big 4 (Monaco, Silverstone, Spa and Monza, all have been around for what feels like forever). Monza, qualifying was tale we could only dream of, Kimi on pole. It would be a fairy tale if he won and left Ferrari on the Sunday. Of course that didn’t occur. On the Sunday, it looked like Ferrari could easily ease to a simple 1-2. Whichever way round it would choose to be the tifosi would be over the moon to put it lightly. Until Mercedes decide to carry on that record, every race of the turbo-hybrid era has been won by a Mercedes. Of course with Vettel, having to make his way back thought he field, after Hamilton defined physics and didn’t spin during their knock into each other. Vettel, clearly could have quite simply backed out and took the place back on the straights because the Ferrari is the superior car, and it was in Monza. But Vettel, cost himself. We know what happened, Ferrari went on Soft tyres which they had not run all weekend and Mercedes had so they knew them better. So Ferrari, had a driver costing himself and themselves costing themselves as Mercedes played a team game and got both drivers on the podium and took the win, to the tifosi’s not so delight of course.
Mercedes grabbed a win on the home of their biggest rival, mentally that won’t have helped Ferrari. But still, it was game on. Who cares it is one race. But Mercedes would be on the back foot come Singapore, it is simply just not a track that suits their complex machine. Singapore became a vital win for Vettel, a vital win for the championship, to keep it alive.
Ferrari, in FP3, looked on for a front row lock out, they really did. Maybe only a Red Bull could ruin the party. Mercedes, they didn’t seem comfortable around the track, but they were going for damage limitations.
Then, then (for me) one of the most epic laps was churned out by a Mercedes of all cars a 1:36.015. A car that did not suit the track, a car that should not have been in contention for pole. Lewis Hamilton stuck it one pole for some reason. Vettel could not get close. But that Hamilton lap was something else, it really was.
The race, their strategy again. Wrong. They went to early and then they came out behind Verstappen, as they put on the wrong tyre, putting on the ultrasofts. They hadn’t used the softs again, and they wanted a two stop race and that wasn’t happening in Red Bull and Mercedes’ eyes. Their strategy cost them again. The gap is now 40 points. Forty points.
Six races to go. Hamilton can win two more races and place second in the rest, and win the championship. Vettel, has to win every race from now, and Hamilton comes second in the rest, Vettel would win his fifth world title by 2 points. It’s close, and I’m not saying the championship is over. But Ferrari, are going to struggle. I really did not think I’d say it. But Hamilton looks on his way to his fifth world title. Ferrari have to try everything now, but really they have cost themselves this title. Mistakes by the drivers, mistakes by the team. It’s not over till it’s over but if Hamilton win three out of the six races, it’s over then for me.
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