Vettel: Test provided ‘ideas’ to explain ‘weak’ Spanish GP
Sebastian Vettel has stated that last week’s Formula 1 test at the Circuit de Barcelona has provided Ferrari with “a couple of ideas” explaining it’s “weak” Spanish Grand Prix performance.
After qualifying in third behind the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, Vettel finished fourth in the race.
He was the only one of the top eight to perform a two-stop race, having made his first pitstop earlier than everyone else. When on fresh tyres behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen – who was also compromised by front-wing damage as well as older tyres – Vettel did not have the pace to retake third.
“I think it’s fair to summarise that Barcelona was not a strong race for us,” said Vettel. “I think Saturday was actually pretty good – qualifying was very close – but in the race we fell a little bit behind.
“It was good that we had the opportunity on Tuesday and Wednesday to get into the race situation again and understand a little bit better with more time and more laps and that’s what we did.
“There are a couple of ideas that we have and things that we believe may have caused a weak race or weak pace during the race.
“For here [in Monaco] it’s not that relevant because it’s a completely different track but certainly going forward time will tell whether we have found a good direction.”
At last year’s Monaco Grand Prix, Ferrari secured a front row lock-out in qualifying led by Kimi Raikkonen. Vettel took the chequered flag, leading his team-mate home for Ferrari’s first one-two finish at Monaco since 2001.
This season, Ferrari’s car has a longer wheelbase which is historically detrimental to performance at what is the circuit with the lowest average speed on the calender.
“It’s not like all of a sudden your sitting in a bus,” he said. “We have improved [the car], in general, this year, through the races that we have had and the feeling that I have had.
“How responsive it was etc, which should help us here. But, I don’t think the wheelbase will play a big difference. If so, our car is not longer than most of the other cars so I think we will be fine.”