Ferrari’s long-awaited title push as soon as once more fell flat on the Japanese Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc settling for fourth, Lewis Hamilton trailing in seventh, and each drivers voicing frustrations over the automotive’s efficiency.
While it marked an enchancment from their disqualification in China two weeks earlier as a result of technical infringements, the enduring Italian staff remained properly off the tempo in comparison with the McLarens and Max Verstappen’s dominant Red Bull on Sunday.
“There was nothing more in the car,” Leclerc stated. “We did a good job with balance and strategy, but it is even more disappointing when you do everything perfectly and finish P4. The pace is just not there.”
Leclerc is sixth within the Formula One drivers’ standings after three races, and Hamilton is eighth, whereas Ferrari already trails chief McLaren by 76 factors within the producers’ standings.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton did handle to drag off one of many few overtakes within the race, but it surely moved him up just one spot from his begin in eighth on the grid.
“I did the best I could today. I was genuinely lacking performance compared to the cars ahead of me,” Hamilton stated.
“We found something on the car that was underperforming for the last three races, so I’m hoping when that’s fixed, I’ll start getting better results. Onward and upward.”
Team principal Fred Vasseur stated the automotive was already extra aggressive than it had been in the beginning of the season, however estimated it was nonetheless about three-tenths of a second behind the main groups and warned towards anticipating a significant leap ahead.
“If last year we did a good step forward from the beginning of the season to midseason, it’s not that we found a magic bullet. You will never find something on the car at three or four-tenths,” he stated.
“One yr in the past, we have been virtually in the identical state of affairs – maybe a bit worse when it comes to tempo – and the response of the staff was very, very sturdy.
“We worked as a team. We made small step by small step, and we have to keep exactly the same approach this season. But for sure, it’s not ideal, and I would prefer to have won the first two or three races.”
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