2018 Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team

[roon]

Maybe in an effort to understand Ferrari's sudden gain in power we should look at things that are unique to the SF71H in general and in comparison to Haas and Sauber.

-twin battery (all Ferrari PU cars)
-wastegates open fairly early and sound very distinguishable (SF71H only)
-floor tunnel (SF71H only)
-two RW mounting pillars (all Ferrari PU cars + Williams)

Feel free to add stuff.

-SF71 sidepods
-mirror shrouds
-halo mounted mirrors
-plus every free area is unique (FW, nose treatments, bargeboards, diffuser treatment, brake ducts)

[Brenton]

Seems time they are also able to run in hot air far better than mercedes can. In both power and tyre performance.

Speaking of which, why was Vettel driving in clean air on the straight at Hungary instead of drafting behind Hamilton? Overheating?

Juzh, good point. Though haven't Ferrari been slightly better (relative to Mercedes) in race pace compared to qualifying this year? Just slightly though, if at all.

[Mansell89]

Kimi looks like getting a 2 year (second year is Ferrari option) deal.

#ProtectVET

Another season, another race winning seat wasted.

[marvin78]

Is that so? So you think that you know better, than a whole team of people who work with RAI and that for many years now? If I should bet, I would place my bet on the fact,that a big team like that knows what to do and against a most likely badly informed forum user.

[NathanOlder]

Put Ricciardo in the other Ferrari and you can almost guarantee the WCC. More than what they got last year and currently this year.

Mansell89 is right, wasted seat. Boring Ferrari decision. Us fans want excitement, this is not exciting

[Phil]

I’d be seriously surprised if they give Kimi two years. One i get, but two? Kimi has no where to go. He’d be happy to sign just for another year, as he is used to. This way, they keep their options open. If (for whatever reason) they are unhappy, unsatisfied with Vettel (or Kimi) they can put someone else in Kimis seat. Either someone competitive or Leclerc. Giving him a two year extension IMO makes zero sense as Kimi has little to no leverage. They could simply give him 1 year and renew that option this time next year.

[GrayGreat]

Is that so? So you think that you know better, than a whole team of people who work with RAI and that for many years now? If I should bet, I would place my bet on the fact,that a big team like that knows what to do and against a most likely badly informed forum user.

Right. So what's the point of this forum, and what are you even doing here?

[adrianjordan]

I’d be seriously surprised if they give Kimi two years. One i get, but two? Kimi has no where to go. He’d be happy to sign just for another year, as he is used to. This way, they keep their options open. If (for whatever reason) they are unhappy, unsatisfied with Vettel (or Kimi) they can put someone else in Kimis seat. Either someone competitive or Leclerc. Giving him a two year extension IMO makes zero sense as Kimi has little to no leverage. They could simply give him 1 year and renew that option this time next year.

Well, he could go to Mclaren, but I don't see that as much of a bargaining chip.

[AnotherAlex]

If the Hamilton / Mercedes fans don't like keeping Raikkonen they clearly believe doing so to be in Ferrari's best interest.


Next season has for some time looked like a straight choice between Raikkonen and Leclerc, and Ferrari can't go wrong with either. For the season after the argument in favour of Leclerc starts to look more compelling.

[Nonserviam85]

The second year is a Ferrari option.

[bosyber]

Can't go wrong with either? That's, well. I can see them sticking with Kimi for another year as they aren't certain Leclerc is experienced enough, and with the short term change in management they don't want to rock the boat.

But fact is that the only time Kimi was ahead of Vettel on merit was in the wet Hungary qualifying, and in every other Q3 he bottled it even though he up to then seemed to have the speed to be up there (sometimes having outright better pace than Vettel too!) with Vettel. With Kimi, they have to depend on Vettel not making mistakes in order to win races, and having a faster car than the others to get the WCC. Maybe they don't care so much about that, but if they keep Kimi, they shouldn't either.

Going to Leclerc might not yet get them everything next year yet, because he still has to learn, but after that, they'd have a back up for Vettel in the years following, and a back up who intimately knows the team. Now they do not.

[roon]

    

[kptaylor]

Wow, Kimi cannot buy a break in Q3... Team let him down by not properly fueling him so he could have another go like everyone else. Down to P6. Shame as he's great at this track.

[nokivasara]

Wow, Kimi cannot buy a break in Q3... Team let him down by not properly fueling him so he could have another go like everyone else. Down to P6. Shame as he's great at this track.

Yeah, it's amazing how something always get's in the way. Often it's Kimi himself that makes a mistake but if not, something else will hinder him in one way or another!

Today I think his side of the garage thought that it was worth it to gamble on the rain getting heavier towards the end of Q3 and that their best shot was to make a timed lap as fast as possible, whereas Vettels side (and most of the others) parked the car to fuel up. After that Kimi (and the RedBulls) ran out of time to fuel up and get back out.
If the rain had kept falling I think Kimis laptime would have netted him a P1.
Just one of those things that can happen during changing conditions...

[PhillipM]

And he was back on engine parity with Vettel and showing his pace, that guy just has bad luck every single time.