Photograph: Kamran Jebreili/AP
There has been something approaching serenity in Mercedes’ comfortable dominance of the start of the Formula One season, Lewis Hamilton’s problems notwithstanding. But there is a red sandstorm beginning to blow up as the threat from Ferrari grows by the day.
It has been a disappointing start to the season for the Scuderia. Kimi Raikkonen failed to finish in the opening race in Melbourne last month, because of a problem with his turbo charger, and engine failure struck Sebastian Vettel when he was on his warm-up lap in the next race in Bahrain. Then, on Saturday, the warmth of the previous days here in Shanghai disappeared, which did not suit Ferrari in qualifying for Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix – Raikkonen was still third, just ahead of Vettel, but both drivers made mistakes on the final lap.
Raikkonen said: “It’s a shame. We had a chance to be even on the top today. Vettel added: “We decided to save a set of tyres. I was confident I could make it in the last lap but I didn’t. I wasn’t happy with it. I made a couple of mistakes.”
Mercedes, however, feel they might be troubled by their only real rivals this season, and it will be sooner rather than later. In the second practice session here on Friday Raikkonen and Vettel put in a one-two performance that had some who occupy the north end of the paddock and wear silver stroking their chins a little ruefully. Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ director of motorsport, was among them. “They are pushing us very hard,” he said, “and you have seen today that it is raw performance, and we have seen the performance in the last couple of races.
“Ferrari haven’t been able to pull it together because they made a big step from 2015 to 2016, similar to the step of 2014 to 2015, and in order to have the package deliver and be reliable, that isn’t an easy task. But in terms of sheer performance, they are really pushing us. And that it good; this is how the competition should be.”
Ferrari have made a step-up from last season but are still dissatisfied with their position. Raikkonen, who had at one stage looked likely to achieve pole here, was disappointed that Ferrari had only seemed strong on the supersoft tyre the day before. “For whatever reason we’ve been quite struggling apart from the super-soft tyre,” he said. Tyres, alas, have been a talking point more than ever here, because the Shanghai track is a real rubber-shredder.
Vettel was also downbeat going into the pointy end of the weekend. “Overall I think we can still improve, but the balance is not yet where I want it to be, so let’s see what we can do,” he said. “The feel is OK, but OK is not good, so we can still improve.”
Again it was tyres that dominated discussions after qualification: that Ferrari would have to start the Chinese Grand Prix wearing worn super-softs was thought to be a possible tactical blunder. But this is something more fundamental than rubber. Ferrari, searching for their first victory here since 2013, have looked at everything in the buildup to the new campaign.
Their technical director, James Allison, whose fingerprints are all over this SF16-H car for the first time, said in Melbourne they had taken a bold approach to everything – power unit, downforce, handling, horsepower, the lot – in an aggressive attempt to further improve on their 2015 model, which had been a big step up from the jalopy of 2014. And to support Allison, the former senior Mercedes engineer Jock Clear has moved over to Maranello.
Ferrari’s principal, Maurizio Arrivabene, said here: “What’s happened in Australia and Bahrain, we explained it very, very well and I think I don’t need to give further explanation.” After that, he seemed more interested in patting Mercedes on the back.
“Concerning the expectation of the season,” he said, “I can say the Mercedes team of this year is the strongest one that I saw in the last 10 years. It’s quite a lot of years that I’m around. To be able to win against them, you have to work and be better than them. So, we are doing all our best to have good results.”
Considering Mercedes’ relentless hegemony, Ferrari did not have bad results last year. Three wins and second in the constructors’ championship would have pleased most teams, but this is Ferrari.
That even Raikkonen is fractionally more animated this season is further evidence that Ferrari have moved forward. But, like last year, they still look a team more likely to take victories off Mercedes than win the title themselves. Mercedes still look the team likelier to prevail in November. Most Formula One watchers would be happy if was just a little closer.
