Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco 2015

Monaco Grand Prix – Monte Carlo, 24th May 2015

Posted: 24.05.2015
Source: Ferrari

Maurizio Arrivabene: “Congratulations to Seb for holding Hamilton back in the final laps of the race. It was no easy job because Lewis had super-soft tires, while Seb’s Primes were low on pressure because of the laps he had done behind a very slow safety car. In the key moment of the race Iñaki Rueda, our race strategist, told everybody to keep calm and stay out on track, while the Mercedes came in for fresh tires. I am aware of the fact that we were lucky, our competitors are intelligent and very strong, but we outsmarted them this time. As for Kimi, he has a problem with qualifying, because he’s always strong on race pace. When Ricciardo got past him, I was determined to have a hard look at the rules, but then I was told that now the move is allowed when the driver in front opens up the line and the one behind manages to put at least on wheel inside . So we respect the Stewards’ decision. In the next races we’ll not be standing still, we have some developments in the pipeline, but if luck comes again, we are prepared to take advantage. Anyway, so far we’ve always been on the podium this year, and the gap is not massive. Maybe on some tracks we will experience the same issues that we had in Barcelona, but on other circuits we can be stronger”.

Kimi Raikkonen: “We knew that after starting from sixth position it would have been a difficult race. I was all the time behind slower cars and there was no way to overtake them even if I had a much better pace. At the the pit stop we managed to pass one Red Bull, we gained one place but we lost it for a stupid reason. I was following my normal line when Ricciardo hit my rear tire and pushed me wide, regaining the position. It’s not very clear what you are allowed to do, it’s really odd but there’s nothing we can do. For the next races we have to make a better job overall to make sure we get tires working and things sorted out without mistakes on Saturday in qualifying. This will make our life a lot easier on Sunday. Now we go to Canada a bit happier overall but it’s too early to make predictions, we have similar tires but the layout of the track is completely different, so let’s wait and see.”

Sebastian Vettel: “Today we took everything we could and it is nice to end up in second place. I tried to be agressive on the start, but I couldn’t get the second position straight away. We had a good pace and we put the Mercedes under pressure, closing the gap on the pit stop and not letting them get away at any point, but obviously it was not enough. We tried the undercut but they replied a lap after and unfortunately they came out in front. In the last laps Lewis with the Supersoft tires behind me was putting a lot of pressure, it was really difficult because for some laps my tires were really cold and I was struggling to make sure I stay on track, I was focused on having good exits. There is still something we need to understand and to learn, if it’s colder in qualifying on one lap it is difficult to get the tires work; this is something we need to improve. I want to thank the guys in Maranello , the engine was fine and very good on the straights so that we were safe staying in front. In all areas there’s a lot of work going on because we want more, we keep our feet on the ground knowing where we want to go and were we want to be. I’m very happy, it was a great race and the team gave 100%. In Canada the track layout is totally different, but we will try to be competitive there as well.”

• This is the sixth consecutive podium finish for the Scuderia in as many races this year. In 2007, we had five in a row
• This is Scuderia Ferrari’s 49th podium finish at the Monaco Grand Prix
• With this result the team further consolidates second place in the Constructors’ championsip

Monaco Grand Prix – Vettel runner-up

Posted: 24.05.2015
Source: Ferrari

Sebastian splits the two Mercedes at the flag. Kimi sixth

Monaco, 24 May –Sebastian Vettel finished the Monaco Grand Prix in second place. The German spent all 78 laps in the slipstream of Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes, managing to get ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who led for the first 65 laps, until he made a second pit stop. Vettel crossed the line 4 seconds behind the winner, having run the race at a very competitive pace. Raikkonen also fought hard all race long, showing a strong pace. This is Vettel’s fifth consecutive podium from six starts in “red.”

Monaco Grand Prix – Monte Carlo, 23 May 2015

Posted: 23.05.2015
Source: Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen: “I don’t think that the accident of this morning affected my qualifying. My car has been working pretty well so far, apart from the fact that it was hard to get the tires working . You need few good laps to make a time and today in my last run I was too slow behind a Toro Rosso and decided to come in. Today we had the speed but not the chance of doing a clean lap. It was not a very good day and obviously tomorrow we are going to pay a big price. Tomorrow we’ll see what we can do, we’ll try to make a good start and go from there, even if it won’t be easy. Here there is a big chance to remain stuck behind other cars for the whole race and overtaking is really difficult: that’s why the result of today is very disappointing.”

Sebastian Vettel: “I am happy with third place. Today it looked like everybody was struggling to get the tyres to working temperatures – which is funny, because they call them Supersofts – and the Mercedes cars were the ones which probably suffered the least from this problem, so this is why the gap looks bigger. The rain on Thursday didn’t affect us so much, as it was the same for everybody, today’s low temperature probably did not help, but we are not looking for excuses. Tomorrow I will be starting from third on the grid, on the inside line. Everything can happen and I hope to have a good pull-off; it could be possible to jump one of the cars ahead, two is more difficult, but then Lewis, too, should have a good start, otherwise he may be blocking the way. The gap to our contenders is still there, but we have more to win than we have to lose.”

Monaco Grand Prix – Sebastian third, Kimi sixth

Posted: 23.05.2015
Source: Ferrari

Vettel just behind Mercedes. Raikkonen doesn’t quite hit the spot

Monaco 23 May–Sebastian Vettel will start the Monaco Grand Prix from third on the grid, while in the other SF15-T, Kimi Raikkonen lines up sixth. Qualifying was run here in Monaco under cloudy skies with a high of 18 degrees and Lewis Hamilton waited until the very last moment to take pole in the Mercedes with a time of 1.15.098. Vettel secured his spot on the second row with a 1.15.849, with Nico Rosberg second in the other Mercedes in 1.15.440. Raikkonen set the sixth fastest time of 1.16.427 and will start from Row 3.

Monaco Grand Prix – A Ferrari on top in final free practice

Posted: 23.05.2015
Source: Ferrari

Vettel quickest in FP3

Monaco, 23 May – Sebastian Vettel posted the quickest time in this morning’s free practice in his Ferrari, as Formula 1 track action resumed after yesterday’s traditional rest day in the Principality. In the final session prior to qualifying, the German did a 1.16.143 in his SF15-T, to finish ahead of the Mercedes duo of Nico Rosberg (1.16.361) and Lewis Hamilton (1.16.705.)
Kimi Raikkonen only managed 11 laps on his way to setting the sixth fastest time of 1.17.401. On his Supersoft run, he touched the barrier at Ste. Devote puncturing the left rear tyre.

Monaco Grand Prix – Monte Carlo, 21st May 2015

Posted: 21.05.2015
Source: Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen: “The feeling with the car today was pretty ok, obviously there are some small issues but they are more related to the tyres: it’s difficult to make them warm up, especially the front tyres, but overall it’s not too bad. In order to get the tyres working, it would have been nice to see how the Supersofts work, anyway I think they are much easier. Due to the rain we couldn’t learn as much I wanted, but  it was the same for everybody. We did the most that we could in these conditions. For Saturday we have to see how the weather will be, we still have some work to do on the car and make sure the tyres work well, then we’ll  go from there and do the best in qualifying and in the race.”

Sebastian Vettel: “When it rains it’s the same for everyone, you don’t tend to run. Today the car felt ok, we wanted to test a couple more things but time went out. We  have to wait and see until Saturday to understand more and we’ll  only  find out on Sunday how close we are to Mercedes.  I think we can’t take Monaco as a reference, it’s for the nature of the track that everybody is a bit closer, but for sure I hope to reduce the gap even more. This is why everybody went out in the end of the session. There was no reason to do more laps, we don’t have unlimited tires and if the rain comes again we need them, even if the forecast looks dry. It‘s a shame we could not get an idea on the Supersoft tires but I think we will see on Saturday.”

Monaco Grand Prix – Rain stops play

Posted: 21.05.2015
Source: Ferrari

Ferrari 3rd and 4th fastest in FP2

Monaco, 21 May –There wasn’t much track action in the second free practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix. Just 15 minutes in, the red flags came out and later the rain arrived. The cars all had to pit following Roberto Mehri’s accident in the Manor, at the exit to the tunnel and after that, the cars returned to the track in the final minutes of the session, with the weather barely better.

Both Ferrari men started out on Softs, setting the third and fourth fastest times, which would still be the case after the long break, after which they went out on intermediates. Sebastian Vettel lapped in 1.18.295, to sit behind the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton (1.17.192) and Nico Rosberg (1.17.932.) In the other SF15-T, Kimi Raikkonen posted a 1.18.543.

Monaco Grand Prix – Working on set-up

Posted: 21.05.2015
Source: Ferrari

Seb fourth, Kimi eighth in first free practice session

Monaco, 21 May –In the first free practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix, the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen set the fourth (1.19.134) and eighth (1.19.679) fastest times respectively. Lewis Hamilton was quickest with a 1.18.750 in the Mercedes.
After completing the installation laps on intermediate tyres, because the circuit was damp from overnight rain, the two Ferraris took to the track running two sets of Softs, the other compound at this round of the championship being the Supersoft. Both SF15-Ts completed 31 laps, working on a programme aimed at finding the best set-up for this track.

Where the driver still makes the difference

Posted: 20.05.2015
Source: Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel: “Monaco is a very challenging track” says Sebastian Vettel at Monaco’s  Wednesday press meeting. “We know that here qualifying is very important you have to do the perfect lap otherwise the Sunday can be difficult.

In Barcelona we expected to be closer and of course we cannot be happy with the gap in front, while I’m reasonably happy with the result; we made some step forward but for some reason we underperformed. We are confident this is the right way to go and we decide to keep the new parts in the car. We try  to understand as much as possible from  all the data we collect in the test so that we can try here something if we still have some doubts and then we will see where we are.

The track is a bit tricky because is a street track and a short one. Compared to other track, I feel the driver can still make the difference to some extent. Clearly we are not the favourites  here,  but there’s always a chance for something to happen, and we have a car that is working generally everywhere.”

Unpredictable Monaco

Posted: 20.05.2015
Source: Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen: “It’s hard to say how the weekend will be” said Kimi in the press conference that marked the official start of the weekend in Monaco. “It’s a different place and with different tyres but our car has been good everywhere so far, and I expect us to be reasonably strong.

To win here you must have a good package, we are in a much better condition than last year, but we are not still where we want to be, it’s bit too early for this. We’ll do our best to be there and fight. Here you can be fastest but many things can go against you and affect your result. We’ll try to have a solid weekend, put things together and stay out of the problems. We’ll see how it goes.”

The challenges of Monaco

Posted: 20.05.2015
Source: Ferrari

Maranello, 20 May – “There’s a unique atmosphere at Monaco, which feels really special as the historic circuit which threads its way through the narrow streets comes to life.

” That’s the view of Scuderia Ferrari’s third driver, Esteban Gutierrez. He spoke to ferrari.com about the aspects of this round of the Formula 1 World Championship  which he finds most appealing. “It’s definitely a very technical circuit, where precision driving and a reliable braking system are vital elements.

However, there are some high speed sections, like the exit to the tunnel. As it’s a street circuit, the road surface is quite bumpy and that is one of the tricky elements to tackle when it comes to managing the many demanding braking points. The race is not just difficult for the drivers, because the mechanics and engineers have to deal with working in a confined space, where it’s not always easy to perform at one’s best, especially during the pit stops.”

Through the streets of Monaco

Posted: 19.05.2015
Source: Ferrari

Maranello, 19 May – “There is so much tradition associated with the Monaco street circuit, where you race down very narrow roads, with no margin for error. You have to maintain total concentration all the time and give 100 percent on your qualifying lap, because overtaking in the race is almost impossible.”

The need to be perfect is one of the main reasons why Formula One drivers love the Monaco Grand Prix and Sebastian Vettel is no exception. “I know some people think this is a boring race to watch on television, but for those who are doing the driving, that’s absolutely not the case. If you start down the field, you have to fight nonstop to try and make up some places, while those who are out in front can’t allow themselves to be distracted for a moment for the entire race. As for the set-up, Monaco requires a specific one, different to the other tracks, to navigate your way through the very tight corners of the Principality. You need to be quick down the straights and agile through the twisty bits, as is the case at almost all street circuits.”