Sound of surrender at Ferrari

“We know that we are not competitive enough at the moment,” was the sobering verdict of Scuderia team boss Mattia Binotto before the seventh of 21 Grand Prix this season on Sunday (20.10:XNUMX p.m.) in Montreal. Innovations in the Ferrari that “have a significant effect on the problems we have encountered since the start of the season” are not expected in the near future.

Vettel’s “Lina” has problems. © AFP / ALEXANDER NEMENOV

The Scuderia team boss's words are an admission of the misdevelopment of the SF90 and an admission of the overwhelming dominance of Mercedes. With six starting victories - including five double successes - the Silver Arrows are in a class of their own. Despite being 55 points behind world championship leader Lewis Hamilton, Vettel's ambition remains unbroken. “I feel that this car has more potential, that the team has more potential,” assured Vettel. “We have to work hard and pay a lot of attention to the little things, the details, to get closer.” Vettel's car becomes a problem But Ferrari has fundamental problems. Vettel's red racing car, nicknamed "Lina", has too little downforce, so the car loses valuable time in the corners. The lack of contact pressure leads directly to the tires. Ferrari fails to bring the sensitive rubbers to the right temperature so that they provide the best possible grip. “I'm not yet in the phase where I feel much more comfortable to be able to squeeze more power out of the car,” said last year's Canadian winner Vettel, describing his cardinal problem.

Ferrari superstar Sebastian Vettel. © AFP / WANG ZHAO

However, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, located on an artificial island in the St. Lawrence River, is much more accommodating to Ferrari than the last race through the urban canyons of Monaco, where Vettel achieved his best result of the season with second place. The 4,361 kilometer long circuit has a series of straights on which the Italians can show off their undisputed engine strength. “We are ready to give our best,” announced Binotto. Hamilton has Schumacher's record in mind Mercedes too, of course. Team boss Toto Wolff issued an urgent warning despite the almost flawless first third of the season. “In the last six races we were very strong in the corners, but lost time on the straights. “Canada represents an enormous challenge for us because the route characteristics could suit our opponents,” explained Wolff. “There are a lot of long straights and fewer corners where we can make up time. But we are looking forward to this task.”

This is especially true for Hamilton. The five-time world champion can equal Michael Schumacher's record at the 50th edition of the Canadian Grand Prix. The German record world champion was able to win the tour of the island seven times, Hamilton's sixth victory in Canada dates back to 2017. "We'll probably get a new engine, then the car will continue to make progress," he said.

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Sound of surrender at Ferrari

The words of Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari boss before the Formula 1 race in Canada sounded like surrender.

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