F1 | A stormy air?

The third place achieved by Kimi Raikkonen at the Grand Prix in Sochi was not enough for Ferrari to see the glass half-full. The new Mercedes double win and the reliability problems of the SF16-H are creating some anxiety in the race department and president Marchionne, new CEO of the Prancing Horse, depicted himself as embittered. “It bothers me to see Ferrari suffering this way”.

After just four GP, Mercedes has put together 157 points and dubbed Ferrari that stops at 76 points. It is also due to the three withdrawals of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen in Australia, Bahrain, and Russia (because of the double pileup caused by Kvyat that from the Grand Prix of Spain will be downgraded to Toro Rosso and will replace Verstappen who is promoted alongside Daniel Ricciardo).Only in Shanghai both the Ferrari cars saw the checkered flag gaining the second and fifth positions.

Since the winter tests, Mercedes had showed a disarming superpower which was proved by the first four Nico Rosberg’s wins and by two double wins. “We have had signals of a new superpower since the test days that showed a situation different respect the announcements. Recovering during the season is not easy, especially without any tests. Despite some reliability problems also at Mercedes, the best time made by Rosberg at the second to last lap is another signal of their potential. It is the proof that he had managed the race until that moment”, Gian Carlo Minardi explains. “The problems accused by Hamilton could also be children of developments projected towards the future”, continues the Manager from Faenza engaged in the organization of the 100th edition of the Targa Florio scheduled this weekend.

Once finished the Russian grand prix, Maurizio Arrivabene, managing director and team principal of the Prancing Horse, offered his mea culpa. “When things don’t work there, someone is always responsible. The reliability can suffer when you are obliged to run after someone and have to pull out the best from any single component. Thus, also the development of the cars is slowed”, Minardi adds. “Unfortunately, in some circumstances, they lacked the referent man who can smooth 3-4 tenths of seconds”.

As usual, with the arrival in Spain, the teams will bring numerous newness obtained through the experience and data acquired during the non-European events.The Circus will prolong his stay in Barcelona for two testing days scheduled in May, 17 and 18. With a tweet, Sauber (in a strong economic difficulty) said that it will not present, having no new solutions to be tested and no young driver available according to the rules which asks each team to try a young driver in at least one of the two days.