| Circuit | Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya |
| Date | 13.05.2018 |
| Laps | 66 |
| Distance | 307,104 km / 190,866 miles |
| No | Driver | Ferrari | S/N | Team | Result |
| 5 | Sebastian Vettel | SF71H | – | Scuderia Ferrari | 4. |
| 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | SF71-H | – | Scuderia Ferrari | retired |
Spanish Grand Prix – Montmeló 13 May
Posted: 13.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Maurizio Arrivabene: “In many ways, this is a weekend in which nothing went right. Now, calmly and with accuracy, we need to analyse the reasons, and they are various, which prevented us from exploiting the potential we demonstrated in the previous races. Then we will prepare for the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix, in a professional, determined and confident manner.”
Sebastian Vettel: “Our tires didn’t last as long as for the others, so we couldn’t follow the same strategy. We had to stop again and we obviously lost two positions, and also a bit of time during the pit-stop itself. But staying out was not an option today. We had problems finding the right balance of the car and we were struggling with the front tires. Maybe the changes for this weekend had a bad impact on us, worse than the one the others had. So, I am happy to go back to ‘normal’ tires in Monaco as we seemed to struggle a little bit more than the others. Today we just didn’t have the right pace, Mercedes was faster than us and we hadn’t many chances. We tried our best, but something was missing and we need to improve on this. During the whole weekend it has been tough to find the right balance on these new tires. But I see no reason for not being optimistic for the next race.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “My race was going pretty ok today, I was in a decent position and the speed was good. I was running smoothly and saving the tires. Everything could have been alright, but unfortunately it did not happen. At one point I started losing power; I managed to drive around but obviously not at full speed anymore, so I drove back to the garage. We don’t know more than that about the issue we had, we need to take the car back to the factory and check what happened. Looking at the Championship, this result is far from ideal, and I’m pretty disappointed. There is nothing we could have done differently today, but we need to try and keep pushing.”
Spanish Grand Prix – An uphill battle of a race
Posted: 13.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Seb fourth, Kimi retires from Spanish GP
Montmelò, 13 May – Sebastian Vettel’s fourth place was the sole reward for Scuderia Ferrari after an uphill battle at the Spanish Grand Prix. Kimi Raikkonen was forced to retire after a loss of power.
This was the story of the race: the sun was playing hide-and-seek with the clouds before the start, after a night with lots of rain. At the getaway Seb went straight on the attack from third place on the grid and passed Bottas, while Kimi stayed in fourth place. The safety car came out on lap 1 when Grosjean spun off and triggered a string of collisions.
The race restarted at the end of the sixth lap in the same positions. Another 12 laps passed before the team made an early call to bring Seb into the pits to change onto the Medium tyres. Bottas reacted two laps later but despite facing traffic – and benefiting from a tow from Magnussen – Vettel managed to stay ahead of the Mercedes as it came out of the pits.
Meanwhile further back, Kimi reported a problem over the radio and the No.7 car suddenly slowed and crawled back to the pits. He had suffered a loss of power, the same problem that put paid to Ocon on the 40th lap, bringing out the virtual safety car.
Seb came into the pits to put on another set of Medium tyres. The move came because he had been having problems with the tyres; but there was a problem with the right rear and on the exit the No.5 car ended up behind both Bottas and Verstappen, whose car had suffered damage to the front wing after earlier contact.
“You can push right to the flag,” was Ricky Adami’s advice to his driver. But it’s not easy. Making it past the 50th lap, Seb went for it and lowered his lap times, but without managing to get past his rival. Even if by the end he was only seven tenths of a second away from the podium.
Spanish Grand Prix – “Not a bad place to start from”
Posted: 12.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Seb, and Kimi reflect on “different” qualifying session
Montmelò, May 12 – Today’s qualifying session ended up with Scuderia Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen occupying third and fourth slot on the grid respectively. After making the cut into Q3 with Soft tyres, which are less prone to degradation in the race, both opted for the same compound (classified as Option, versus the “Quali” Supersoft) for their final run in Q3-a choice also made by other drivers today.
“Overall, I think it was a smooth session”, said Seb. “The car was fine and we didn’t have much to do. We were quite ok this morning, trying to find the right direction. It was straightforward in qualifying and then in Q3 during my first run I locked up a little bit in Turn 1, so my first sector was already slow. I tried to recover and fight for pole, but it was not enough. I didn’t have a great feeling on the tires, which have been different the whole weekend. Even if they look the same, they are harder. However, it’s the same for everyone. Obviously, I am not entirely happy, but we expected Mercedes to be very strong here. P3 is not a bad place to start from. Tomorrow we’ll focus on the start first, and then we’ll see. It will be a long race and the tires will be challenging, too. Even if the start doesn’t go in our favor, I think we always have a strong car to keep fighting. I think tomorrow it will be an interesting race and we’ll be close; the same as happened in the last couple of races. I’m looking forward to the Spanish Grand Prix and hope the people will enjoy it.”
“It was a tricky qualifying, not the ideal one”, was Kimi’s comment. “In Q3, on my first attempt with the Supersofts, I made a mistake in turn 1 and went wide; obviously this affected my lap. At that point, I was in a position where I had nothing to lose, so we decided to try something else. The Soft tires felt pretty good in Q2 so we decided to use them in my last run. In the end we managed to do a decent job, but obviously we are not satisfied with the result. It’s difficult to predict what will happen in the race and it’s a bit of an unknown for me, considering I couldn’t do the long runs yesterday. We’ll try to make a good start and see how the race pans out”.
Spanish Grand Prix – Scuderia Ferrari on the second row
Posted: 12.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Vettel ahead of Raikkonen
Montmelò, 12 May –Come the end of today’s qualifying on the Spanish track, there was an all-Ferrari second row for the start of the Spanish Grand Prix, which gets underway at 15h10 tomorrow. Sebastian secured third place thanks to a lap in 1’16”305, while team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was right behind him with a best lap of 1’16”612. Both drivers ran Soft and Supersoft tyres, setting their qualifying time on the more robust compound.
Spanish Grand Prix – Final free practice in Montmelò
Posted: 12.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Ferrari 3rd and 4th fastest
Montmelo, 12 May – Ferrari finished third and fourth fastest in the final hour of free practice. Sebastian Vettel’s best time was a 1’17”550, while team-mate Kimi Raikkonen posted a 1’17”581. Scuderia Ferrari opted to run Supersoft tyres for both drivers, with Kimi Raikkonen also going out on the Mediums. The session was red flagged right at the end, after Brendon Hartley crashed in his Toro Rosso. Qualifying gets underway at 15h00.
Spanish Grand Prix – “We should be stronger tomorrow”
Posted: 11.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Seb praises “car you can trust” while Kimi has “not the most straightforward Friday”
Montmelò, May 11 – It was a Friday of mixed fortunes for Scuderia Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen: while Seb managed to complete his daily routine, setting encouraging times in the final long run on Soft tires, Kimi had to coast back to the pits after being radioed to stop the engine because of an apparent malfunction. Gusty winds affected both sessions and the track felt obviously very different from winter testing, with temperatures around the 30 degree mark.
“Everything we put on the car seems to work and that’s important,” said Seb. “I think the biggest change that has been made is on the tires, which seem to be quite different. I don’t think they are better than before. As for the changes you saw with the rearview mirrors, it is no big deal. Before, it was quite difficult for us to look at the cars behind. Now they are in a better position and I can see a little bit better below the rear wing. If you trust your car, there is no reason to try to push over the limit at this stage. Let’s hope we have the same trust as in Baku where I could get everything out of the car when I had to. Today it was quite slippery and gusty and it was a mixed day. We can still work on the car and I think we should be stronger tomorrow”.
“Today the session was a bit messy” Kimi commented “but overall I think it was not too bad. The wind made it a bit tricky, but we know that, at this time of year, it can be like that. The tarmac was the same as we had in testing, but obviously the weather conditions are different. We all know this track very well but every time we come here it’s like starting from zero. We tried different things and learned from them and it was pretty ok most of the times. Maybe it was not the most straightforward Friday, but I think that more or less we know what we should do. At one point we had some issues and I was told by the team to stop the car. We still don’t know what happened, but we’ll figure it out. In the evening we’ll have some work to do; we’ll go through everything and understand. Tomorrow morning we might get a better idea and know where everybody is. I’m sure it is going to be close”.
Spanish Grand Prix – Montmelò, Ferrari fourth and sixth
Posted: 11.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Two compounds used in free practice
Barcelona, 11 May –The Scuderia Ferrari drivers finished the second free practice session of the day at the Catalunya circuit in fourth and sixth places. Sebastian Vettel posted a best time of 1’18”585, while Kimi Raikkonen’s fastest lap was a 1’18”829. The Finn’s programme was interrupted by a Power Unit malfunction which was spotted on the telemetry, but he managed to get his SF71H back to the pits. Both drivers used the Soft and Supersoft tyres this afternoon.
Spanish Grand Prix – FP1 completed in Spain
Posted: 11.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
New aero parts on the SF71H
Montmelo, 11 May – The fifth round of the 2018 Championship, the Spanish Grand Prix, has got underway with the first free practice session at the Catalyuna Circuit, which also hosted pre-season testing. Scuderia Ferrari brought new aero parts to try on both SF71Hs. Sebastian Vettel was third fastest in 1”19”098, while Kimi Raikkonen posted a 1’19”499 to go fifth in the session. Both drivers ran the Soft and Supersoft tyres during the 90 minutes of practice. The second session gets underway at 15h00.
Spanish Grand Prix – “Maximize everything”
Posted: 10.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Kimi and Seb take nothing for granted ahead of Spanish challenge
Montmelò, May 10 – Formula One is back in Europe on the track which has hosted all winter testing over the last three years. Scuderia Ferrari drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel are well aware though that things will be different this weekend, even if temperatures are not as high as one might expect for May in Catalunya. As is customary for this race, quite a few development parts have appeared on the two SF71H cars and the whole team is gearing up for the upcoming challenge.
“It’s hard to know what will happen this weekend”, Kimi comments, “ it depends on many things. Obviously, everybody has done a lot of testing on this track, but the conditions are totally different at this time of the year. So far we have been strong and fast everywhere; we expect to be at least up there in the fight. We’ll do our normal stuff and later in the weekend we’ll see if it is enough. Qualifying is important here as it’s hard to overtake on this circuit; but in the end, it’s not that much different from most of the places we race in. After all, in last year’s race we have seen quite a lot of overtaking, so we’ll see how things turn out this year and how the tires wor . We know roughly where we are and what we are doing and we also know that the result is not always a given, whoever is the strongest. We keep working and improving. It’s pretty close between the top three teams; avoiding any mistake and issues, you give yourself a better chance to be on top in the end”.
“At the beginning of the season you don’t know how strong you can be,” adds Sebastian, “but I think that so far we can be happy. We have been very competitive and we’ve had a chance to fight for the win during most of the races so far. Having said that, there are still many races to go, so it is pointless to talk about what will happen at the end of the Championship. Right now I think it is important to maximize everything in the race. It is natural that we want to win, so if you get the best result every weekend and are in a position to fight for the Championship, then it will be good news. But we cannot say too much before. I believe that small things can make the difference. We’ll keep working on updates and see what they can bring”.
Spanish Grand Prix – The place for surprises
Posted: 08.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
A well known track but now it all starts from scratch
Because of its location, characteristics and climate, the Catalunya Circuit is today the traditional training ground for Formula 1. For the past three years it has been the sole venue for winter testing and it will host two more days of in-season testing on the Tuesday and Wednesday following this weekend’s Grand Prix. For some time now, it is also the venue that kicks off the European season, characterised by the arrival of the mobile hospitality units, still erroneously referred to as “motorhomes” and the fact that cars and equipment all travel by land. The trucks leave Maranello on the Tuesday evening before the race and take around 12 hours to reach the track to the north of Barcelona. In contrast to the races outside Europe, the SF71Hs travel virtually fully assembled, having been rebuilt at the factory rather than the track.
All the drivers claim to know the Montmelo track like the back of their hand, however, not everything can be taken for granted this time, given that winter testing was held in extremely cold conditions and now, in May, the weather will be very different. Furthermore, the track was completely resurfaced at the start of the year, losing some of the roughness for which it was famous and therefore there will be much to learn about the 2018 Medium, Soft and Super Soft compounds in the hotter weather. At the moment, a 2017-style heatwave is not expected, but air temperature, especially on Friday, should comfortably exceed the 20 degree mark.
The Catalan track provides a veritable “workout” for chassis, aerodynamics and indeed the drivers, given that turns like 3 and 9 are now taken flat-out or almost. It’s a track that has everything, but offers few passing opportunities. For those who have the time, Barcelona is around 20 kilometres away with all the attractions of a Mediterranean city. The F1 workers can console themselves with the robust and tasty food, with literary references to Montalban, the writer who inspired the most famous of Andrea Camilleri’s characters…
Ferrari Racing Days at Spa – Rigon, Beretta and Pier Guidi put on a show
Posted: 13.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Francorchamps, 13 May 2018 – Even the rain failed to quell the passion of the Ferraristi, from sports customers, to road cars drivers, to fans. During the weekend the grandstand on the main straight was packed with spectators, as was the paddock, with thousands of people gathering at Spa-Francorchamps. On Sunday the program offered the second two races of the Ferrari Challenge Europe, along with the F1 Clienti and XX Programmes sessions. On the final day of the event, official Ferrari drivers Davide Rigon, Olivier Beretta and Alessandro Pier Guidi starred in a fantastic track show.
Superfast trio. The performance began on the main straight shortly after 1 pm, when Alessandro Pier Guidi set off in the new Ferrari 488 Pista, Olivier Beretta climbed into the 488 GTE of MR Racing, in which he came fifth a week ago in the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, and Davide Rigon took the wheel of a 488 Challenge. After this display of Maranello’s V8 sportcars, Rigon slipped into the cockpit of a 2009 F60 to thrill the public with fast laps and lightning quick tyre changes performed by the Scuderia Ferrari mechanics.
F1 Clienti. Anyone arriving early was treated to the sight of the Formula 1 single-seaters cornering the spectacular Eau Rouge and Raidillon turns, with their rain tyres spraying out a classic water trail, while still allowing the drivers to top 300 km/h on the Kemmel straight and on the final turns of one of the world’s most beautiful tracks. The 2013 F138 shared the track with two F2008s and one F2007, two F2001s and one F2002. Then there was also an F333 SP, the barchetta that still holds a place in the hearts of endurance racing fans. Indeed, this car triumphed at the 24 Hours of Daytona, the Petit Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
XX Programmes. The XX Programmes cars didn’t slip under the radar either. These vehicles, homologated for track use only, stand out for their power and cutting-edge technology. The original FXX was driven by two customers, who were joined by host of 599XXs, 599XX Evos and FXX Ks that clocked excellent times despite the rain. There was also an FXX K Evo, which put in the best performance thanks to its greater downforce.
Ferrari Challenge. The Ferrari Challenge offered two more races, although the second was marred by the fog that descended on the Ardennes track in the mid-afternoon. The first, the Trofeo Pirelli, was chaotic with a second start after an accident at La Source. The winners were championship leader Nicklas Nielsen (Formula Racing) and Fabienne Wohlwend (Octane 126), the fastest woman in Ferrari Challenge history, who had previously won at Imola last year in the Coppa Shell. The race officials spent 20 minutes trying to start the Coppa Shell race but the conditions were never right to withdraw the Safety Car from in front of the group. So, the final standings were just like qualifying with James Weiland winning the Coppa Shell and Ingvar Mattsson the Coppa Shell Am.
Ferrari Challenge Europe at Spa-Francorchamps – Nielsen, Wohlwend, Weiland and Mattsson win Race-2
Posted: 12.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Francorchamps, 13 May 2018 – Nicklas Nielsen, Fabienne Wohlwend, James Weiland and Ingvar Mattsson won the Sunday races of the Ferrari Challenge Europe at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, on a day that was marked by rain and fog.
Trofeo Pirelli. The Trofeo Pirelli race kicked off in the early afternoon and was immediately marked by a series of crashes with the track soaked after a morning of rain. David Fumanelli, who started from pole, spun, unleashing chaos behind him. Indeed, some drivers went wide to avoid hitting the 488 Challenge of Rossocorsa. One of them was Germany’s Thomas Loefflad (Gohm Motorsport BB) who as his wheels mounted the extraturf lost control of his 488 Challenge and smashed violently into the barriers. The driver was ok but red flag came out and the race only resumed an hour later. At the second start Nielsen (Formula Racing) held onto first ahead of Florian Merckx (Baron Motorsport) and Bjorn Grossmann (Octane 126) who soon moved into second. Nielsen still tops the championship standings a few points ahead of Grossmann.
Pirelli Am. Fabienne Wohlwend dominated the Trofeo Pirelli Am race for her second career win and the first in a class to which she was promoted this year. The Octane 126 driver took advantage of Loefflad’s exit and the problems of championship leader Chris Froggatt. The Ferrari GB – HR Owen driver damaged his 488 Challenge at the start and lined up last for the second start. His comeback would have brought him to fourth place on the podium, but he was disqualified because the mechanics had worked on his car in the pitlane instead of the garage. The final result are still provisional since the team made an appeal to the decision. Claus Zibrandsen (Formula Racing) and John Sawbridge (Ferrari GB – HR Owen) mounted the second and third steps of the podium behind Wohlwend.
Coppa Shell and Shell Am. The Coppa Shell and Coppa Shell Am races were decided in the morning with qualifying. The race officials did their best to get things going despite the fog that had descended on the Kemmel straight. For almost 20 minutes the cars lapped behind the Safety Car in the hope that the fog would lift, but it wasn’t to be. The race was stopped with the red flag and half points were awarded. James Weiland therefore won at the wheel of the 488 Challenge of Rossocorsa, ahead of Christophe Hurni (Team Zenith Sion-Lausanne) and the winner of Race-1, Eric Cheung (Formula Racing). Alex Nussbaumer once again took pole in the Shell Am class but an issue at the end of qualifying forced the Formula Racing driver to start from the back of the grid. Ingvar Mattsson (Scuderia Autoropa) finished first ahead of Agata Smolka (Rossocorsa) and Murat Cuhadaroglu (Kessel Racing). Next race Misano, June 7-9.
Ferrari Racing Days – The sun shines on the Ferraris at Spa
Posted: 12.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Francorchamps, 12 May 2018 – A brilliant spring sun shone on Saturday for the Ferrari Racing Days at Spa-Francorchamps. The most important event of the Corse Clienti season sees the company’s three main activities on track on the same weekend: the Ferrari Challenge Europe, F1 Clienti and the XX Programmes.
Thousands of people. Good weather, along with a chance to admire almost 200 Ferrari cars, attracted thousands of fans to the Belgian circuit, with adults and children alike unable to resist the magic of the Prancing Horse. The stand with the entire range on display, along with the space housing the Ferrari 488 Pista, accompanied by the 488 GTE of MR Racing just back from the 6 Hours of Spa in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), thrilled the fans along with the parade of Ferrari road cars that literally invaded the track shortly after midday.
F1 Clienti. Big crowds lined up in front of the garage with the Formula 1 cars that have made the history of the category, such as the F2007, winner of the world championship with Kimi Raikkonen, or the F2008 which won the world constructors’ championship, not to mention the cars of the Michael Schumacher era, the most successful in Maranello’s history. The fans who flocked to the circuit enjoyed the sound of the aspirated V10 and V8 power units, with engine rev speeds markedly higher than the current single-seaters.
XX Programmes. The cars of the XX Programmes were equally impressive, with the FXX K and FXX K Evo attracting the eyes and ears of fans along with the 599XX and FXX. The expressions of the spectators as these cars created exclusively for the track thundered by said a lot about how special they are.
Ferrari Challenge. The Ferrari Challenge, the world’s most famous one-make series, then put on a great show with two races full of twists and turns. Local fans greeted the victory of Belgium’s Florian Merckx in the Trofeo Pirelli, while in the Pirelli Am class Chris Froggatt won again, despite a drive-through penalty. In the Coppa Shell the laurels went to Eric Cheung and Alexander Nussbaumer. Tomorrow is the final day, with the Challenge races (at 2:15 pm and 4 pm), which will be preceded by the Ferrari show with Davide Rigon at the wheel of the Formula 1 car.
Ferrari Challenge Europe at Spa-Francorchamps – Triumph for Merckx, Froggatt, Cheung and Nussbaumer
Posted: 12.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Francorchamps, 12 May 2018 – Florian Merckx, Chris Froggatt, Eric Cheung and Alexander Nussbaumer were the first winners of the Ferrari Challenge Europe at Spa-Francorchamps, the third round of the championship held in the European Ferrari Racing Days.
Trofeo Pirelli. The Trofeo Pirelli race kicked off in the early afternoon and turned out to be spectacular. Local hero Florian Merckx of Baron Motorsport, set off faster than poleman Nicklas Nielsen, overtaking the rival before Eau Rouge. Then on the Kemmel straight, Bjorn Grossmann (Octane 126) also passed the Formula Racing driver. The trio quickly built up a lead over the rest of the group, taking advantage of the withdrawal of David Fumanelli (Rossocorsa), involved in an accident at the start. Merckx handled the pressure from his rivals, with Grossman only managing to pass him by cutting the chicane. The German, of course, then had to give back the position. There was next to nothing between Merckx, Grossmann and Nielsen as they crossed the line. It was Florian’s first win in the 488 Challenge, while Nielsen kept his lead in the championship standings.
Pirelli Am. Once again it was an all-British fight in the Pirelli Am with championship leader Chris Froggatt punished with a drive-through for his involvement in David Fumanelli’s accident. Froggatt then pulled off an extraordinary recovery. The Ferrari GB driver fought back to join his teammates John Sawbridge and Formula Racing drivers John Dhillon and Klaus Zibrandsen. On the last lap, a slight mistake by Sawbridge allowed Froggatt to draw up alongside his rival at the Bus Stop chicane, crossing the line just 35 thousandths of second ahead of him, the narrowest margin of victory in the history of the Ferrari Challenge.
Coppa Shell. The Coppa Shell race started later in the afternoon and saw Eric Cheung (Formula Racing) hold onto first ahead of Christophe Hurni (Formula Racing) in the 488 Challenge of Team Zenith Sion-Lausanne. Thomas Gostner (Ineco-MP Racing) was in third, immediately followed by a tough group formed by Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing), James Weiland (Rossocorsa) and Manuela Gostner (Ineco-MP Racing). Gostner attacked Weiland, who was forced to retire after a slight contact at the La Source hairpin. At the midway point the race was neutralised with the Safety Car coming on following an accident involving Vladimir Hladik (Baron Motorsport). The 488 Challenge of the Czech driver, who emerged unscathed, lost some liquid and the race finished behind the safety car. Cheung took first ahead of Hurni and Thomas Gostner.
Shell Am. The Shell Am class saw little in the way of twists and turns with Alexander Nussbaumer starting from pole position and staying in first to the finish line. Second place went to a very strong Agata Smolka (Rossocorsa) ahead of Murat Cuhadaroglu (Kessel Racing). Tomorrow the second day of races will see Trofeo Pirelli starting at 14.15; Coppa Shell is at 16.
Ferrari Racing Days – Three Belgian drivers ready for the Challenge at Spa
Posted: 09.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Francorchamps, 9 May 2018 – Ferrari Racing Days is one of the most anticipated events of the season, with over fifty 488 Challenges on track in addition to F1 Clienti and XX Programme cars. The seven-kilometre circuit is an irresistible attraction for drivers who are flocking to the Ferrari competition.
The return of Merckx. Three Belgian drivers will line up for the Challenge. Florian Merckx is the most prominent among them. The Baron Motorsport team driver has clocked up three seasons in the championship including one title, won in 2016 in the Trofeo Pirelli in the Asia-Pacific series. Florian boasts eight victories, 10 fastest laps and as many pole positions. The Belgian is making his debut in the 488 Challenge. Obviously, Merckx will be competing in the Trofeo Pirelli.
De Meeus to shine. Laurent De Meeus will be back on track in the Coppa Shell Am, after skipping the second race at Silverstone due to an accident at the end of Saturday’s race. The Ferrari GB driver shone at Mugello, and is expected to make up ground on his home track.
Guy’s debut. The third Belgian is Guy Fawe, driving for Scuderia FMA in his debut in the Ferrari Challenge. This driver has experience in the Trofeo Maserati but this is the first time he will have to handle the 670 horsepower of the 488 Challenge. In his favour is vast experience on his home track, which should make it easier for him as gets to know the Prancing Horse V8 twin turbo. He will be competing in the Coppa Shell. The Challenge programme has already started with the tests. The races will be held on Saturday and Sunday at 2:15 pm (Pirelli Trofeo) and 4 pm (Coppa Shell).
Ferrari Racing Days – Spa-Francorchamps ready for the big show
Posted: 07.05.2018
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 7 May 2017 – Ferrari Racing Days at Spa-Francorchamps, the main European Corse Clienti event of 2018, are about to kick-off with the first tests in the Challenge on Wednesday and the opening of the F1 Clienti and XX Programmes sessions on Friday. The legendary Ardenne track, for years the home of the Belgian Formula 1 Grand Prix, will host more tham 80 cars taking part in three activities: the Ferrari Challenge, XX Programmes and F1 Clienti. Along with the sporting side, there will be the Passione Ferrari and Club Challenge activities from Thursday and a paddock full of attractions.
Ferrari Challenge. Spa-Francorchamps will be hosting the third round of the 2018 season of the Ferrari Challenge Europe. In the Trofeo Pirelli Nicklas Nielsen (Formula Racing) is the man to watch but local supporter will be supporting the Belgian Florian Merckx at his comeback after the win in the 206 APAC championship. In the Trofeo Pirelli AM the favorite is Chris Froggatt while in the Coppa Shell Erich Prinoth is leading over Vladimir Hladik. In Coppa Shell Am the leader is Ingvar Mattsson. WEC World Champion with Ferrari Alessandro Pier Guidi will act as race advisor.
XX Programmes. The cars of the XX Programmes are also eagerly anticipated. This is the Spa-Francorchamps debut of the FXX K Evo, the most recent car of this exclusive Corse Clienti activity, which packs 1050 hp, 860 from the heat engine and 190 from the HY-KERS system derived from Formula 1. The car features a new aero kit for performance even more at the edge. Six FXX Ks will line up alongside eleven 599XXs and FXXs, the first car of this type of programme that can call on exclusive tutors such as Olivier Beretta.
F1 Clienti. WEC official Ferrari driver Davide Rigon will be the reference point of the special customers of F1 Clienti, the Ferrari programme that provides the Formula 1 cars of the most successful team in the world to an exclusive group of owners. Cars on track to note include the F2002, the record making single-seater with which Michael Schumacher became world champion for the seventh time in Spa-Francorchamps; the F2001, also world Drivers’ and Constructors’ champion with the German ace, two F2008 and an F2007 belonging to current Scuderia Ferrari driver, Kimi Raikkonen. Aside from his role as a tutor Davide Rigon will also feature on track in the F1 show on Sunday.
In the paddock. The Ferrari Racing Days at Spa-Francorchamps promises to be a memorable event not only for its track activities. The new paddock of the famous Belgian circuit will host a display of all the Challenge cars of the past, in celebration of the arrival of the 488 Challenge, the new car of the most famous single-make series in the world. Unveiled at the 2016 Finali Mondiali at Daytona the car made its debut at the start of the 2017 championships. Fans can also see the entire range on display, including the 812 Superfast, an extraordinary 12-cylinder car, the Portofino and the brand new Ferrari 488 Pista.
Ferrari Challenge NA – The championship heads to Monterey
Posted: 30.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Monterey, 30 April 2018. Ferrari Challenge will return to newly re-named Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca, almost one year after this same circuit hosted the debut of the 488 Challenge car. Since that time, the 488 Challenge field has grown exponentially, to 49 cars entered this weekend, a new North American record. Drivers will take on the blind corners and short straights with 660HP on tap. Weather for the weekend is expected to be cool, with highs in the mid 60s, but sunny. It should be a great weekend for racing.
Trofeo Pirelli. Cooper MacNeil (Ferrari of Beverly Hills) and Peter Ludwig (Miller Motorcars) are in a knock-down drag-out brawl for the Trofeo Pirelli championship in 2018. Cooper is taking his title campaign in Ferrari Challenge to extraordinary lengths while he also competes at Mid-Ohio, a circuit around 2,000 miles away, on the same weekend. Cooper and Peter’s rivalry has already come to blows at COTA, hopefully their on-track competition is cleaner this weekend. James Weiland, third in the championship standings, will not participate this weekend.
Pirelli Am. Rob Hodes (Ferrari of Washington), Dave Musial (Continental Autosports) and Murray Rothlander (Ferrari of Vancouver) find themselves atop a close battle in Trofeo Pirelli AM after two race weekends. Rob took wins at Daytona and COTA, but consistency has kept Dave Musial very much in the picture while a strong performance at COTA brought Murray Rothlander into the championship picture.
Coppa Shell. Thomas Tippl (Ferrari of Beverly Hills) took the first race to get up to speed in his first season of Ferrari Challenge competition, but he has not looked back since, with a string of three consecutive wins going into Laguna Seca. Michael Fassbender (Ferrari North America) has shown great strides in his consistency and speed in season two, taking a win at Daytona and two runner up finishes at COTA. Mark Fuller (Ferrari of Westlake) has been equally consistent, taking two podiums at COTA as well.
Shell Am. Ferrari Challenge rookies Brian Simon (Cauley Ferrari), Dale Katechis (Miller Motorcars) and John Megrue (Ferrari of Long Island) are locked in a three-way battle for the championship lead in Coppa Shell Am. Brian Simon has been the master of consistency and taken a win at COTA to establish his lead, while Dale Katechis has yet to take that top step of the podium. John Megrue has been incredibly fast, but a bit inconsistent, taking two wins, but several other low-points finishes have him in third.
458 Challenge EVO. James Walker, Martin Burroues and Trevor Baek (Ron Tonkin Grand Prix) make up the top three in the 458 Challenge EVO championship after their first round of racing action at COTA. The 458 EVO class will only run at COTA, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta.
Schedule. Racing action gets underway on Friday with practice sessions pretty much all day. Qualifying in the morning on Saturday at 10:30am and Sunday at 10:05am followed by racing action in the afternoon at 2:30pm on Saturday. and 1:30pm on Sunday.
Ferrari Challenge Europe – At Silverstone Hurni, Mattsson, Nielsen and Froggatt shine in Race-2
Posted: 29.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Silverstone, 29 April 2018 – Christophe Hurni, Ingvar Mattsson, Nicklas Nielsen and Chris Froggatt won on the second day of the Round 2 of the Ferrari Challenge Europe 2018 at Silverstone, UK.
Coppa Shell. The day once again kicked off with the Coppa Shell race, which offered lots of thrills and excitement. It was chaos at turn one with an accident involving Jean-Claude Saada (Rossocorsa), Manuela Gostner (Ineco-MP Racing), Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing), Rick Lovat (Octane 126) and Murat Cuhadaroglu (Kessel Racing). The Safety Car was needed for four laps until the track could be cleared of damaged cars. At the restart Christophe Hurni immediately took the lead at the wheel of the 488 Challenge of Team Zenith Sion-Lausanne, followed by Race-1 winner, Vladimir Hladik (Baron Motorsport), and Erich Prinoth (Ineco-MP Racing). In the final stages of the race Prinoth was able to overtake the Czech rival and to get a seconda place that keeps the Italian at the top of the standings. After her accident at the start Manuela Gostner was the star of a great comeback: she was able to climb from last to seventh place saving a very difficult afternoon.
Shell Am. Sweden’s Ingvar Mattsson totally dominated the Shell Am class, leading from qualifying. The winner of Race-1 at Mugello beat Germany’s Alexander Nussbaumer (Formula Racing) and Per Nielsen (Baron Motorsport), who fought a race-long duel for second place. However, at the end Nielsen was penalised for overtaking during the Safety Car period, thus losing third place to Giuseppe Ramelli (Rossocorsa-Pellin Racing), who repeated Saturday’s placing.
Trofeo Pirelli. The Trofeo Pirelli race kicked off in the second half of the afternoon on a track that was dry but swept by strong gusts of wind. Nicklas Nielsen pulled off a phenomenal start. The Danish Formula Racing driver passed Saturday’s winner, Bjorn Grossmann (Octane 126), on the first curve and started to lap very quickly, repeatedly clocking the fastest time. Behind the first two, the 488 Challenge of Henry Hassid (Charles Pozzi) and Sam Smeeth (Ferrari GB) fought a great battle. The British 2016 Pirelli Am champion tried everything, but in the end had to settle for fourth.
Pirelli Am. Once again, the Pirelli Am class saw an all-British fight: championship leader Chris Froggatt was given a hard time by his Ferrari GB teammate Jack Brown, who dominated qualifying. Starting from pole, Brown took advantage of Froggatt’s bad start, which saw him in fourth in the early laps before he set off on a frenetic comeback. Froggatt soon passed Denmark’s Christian Overgaard (Baron Motorsport) and Sweden’s Martin Nelson (Scuderia Autoropa) in pursuit of Brown. Froggatt overtook him eight minutes from the end, to make it an extraordinary double triumph over the weekend. Round 3 will take place in two weeks at Spa-Francorchamps, as part of the European Ferrari Racing Days.
Ferrari Challenge Europe – Triumph at Silverstone for Hladik, Nussbaumer, Grossmann and Froggatt
Posted: 28.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Silverstone, 28 April 2018 – Vladimir Hladik, Alexander Nussbaumer, Bjorn Grossmann and Chris Froggatt, all driving the 488 Challenge, were the winners of the first day of the Ferrari Challenge Europe at Silverstone, the second round of the 2018 season.
Coppa Shell. The day’s racing kicked off with the Coppa Shell, which started behind the Safety Car due to rain. This proved wise as demonstrated by poleman Jean-Claude Saada who spun with the 488 Challenge of Rossocorsa due to cold tyres, nullifying his great effort from the morning. Vladimir Hladik, an expert in wet, took first. As soon as the Safety Car was back in the pit lane, the Baron Service team driver set a pace of his own, gaining seconds on Manuela Gostner (Ineco-MP Racing), who in turn was just ahead of Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing) and Christophe Hurni (Team Zenith Sion-Lausanne). Hladik’s lead never seemed in danger, not even when his nearest challengers outpaced him in their fight for podium positions. The Czech driver’s mastery of the race was evident on the last lap when, despite lapping Agata Smolka, he set the fastest lap time of 2:25:829. The fight for the podium concluded on the final lap when the experienced Scheltema, in his 196th Ferrari Challenge race, took advantage of Smolka’s lapping to pass Manuela Gostner. The Italian girl managed to stave off attacks from Hurni to stay in third for a well-deserved first career podium.
Shell Am. The Shell Am Cup class race was much more straightforward, with Alexander Nussbaumer winning a first career pole position with the 488 Challenge of Formula Racing, after which he stayed ahead of the pack and also set the fastest time in sector 3. Behind him on the podium were Ingvar Mattsson, winner in Race-1 at Mugello in the Scuderia Autoropa car, and Giuseppe Ramelli in the Rossocorsa-Pellin Racing 488 Challenge.
Trofeo Pirelli. The Trofeo Pirelli race took place in the second part of the afternoon. This race also started behind the Safety Car with Bjorn Grossmann and Nicklas Nielsen who, like at Mugello, took an easy lead over the rest of the group. Only this time it was the German of Octane 126 who led from start to finish, ahead of the Dane from Formula Racing, although the latter clocked up the fastest lap in a final attempt to overcome his rival. Third place went to Rossocorsa’s Enzo Potolicchio, for his 15th career podium in the Ferrari Challenge. Pirelli Am. The Pirelli Am saw an all-British battle with championship leader Chris Froggatt successfully passing his compatriot and Ferrari GB teammate, Jack Brown at the start and then holding onto first position throughout. Third place went to Martin Nelson (Scuderia Autoropa) ahead of John Sawbridge, another home driver. Sunday’s programme is the same, with races at 1:20 pm and 3:50 pm.
Ferrari Challenge Europe – More than forty 488 Challenge cars at Silverstone
Posted: 26.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 26 April 2018 – It’s time for Round 2 for Ferrari Challenge Europe, the Prancing Horse one-make series that will be at Silverstone during the weekend with four races full of thrills. On Saturday and Sunday over forty 488 Challenges will take the 5,891-metre home track of British motorsport to battle it out in the championship’s four classes. Drivers representing 19 countries will be competing from the small Principality of Liechtenstein, represented by the young Fabienne Wohlwend, to the US with Jean-Claude Saada.
Trofeo Pirelli. Twenty-one-year-old Nicklas Nielsen dominated Round 1 at Mugello. The fantastic young prospect from Denmark, who is building a career in both single-seater (Formula 4) and closed wheel racing, won his fourth victory out of four races in the Ferrari Challenge, including the final two last season. At the wheel of the Formula Racing team 488 Challenge, assisted by AF Corse, Nielsen finished ahead of Bjorn Grossmann, of team Octane 126, on both days. Third place went to Charles Pozzi’s Henry Hassid on Saturday and Alessandro Vezzoni, of Rossocorsa-Pellin Racing, on Sunday. Winning again will not be easy for Nielsen, also that considering Sam Smeeth will be on track to get the first win of the season. In Trofeo Pirelli Am Chris Froggatt recorded his fourth win in the Challenge at Mugello, while the following day Slovakia’s Jan Danis mounted the top step of the podium after his first Ferrari one-make series triumph. Froggatt was twice winner last year and has to be considered as the favourite in Britain. In this class Christoforou Pantelis will be making his debut on a Ferrari GB 488 Challenge.
Coppa Shell. In Coppa Shell Erich Prinoth is clearly the favourite after the perfect Mugello weekend. The Italian dominated Race-1 holding off the aggressive Jean-Claude Saada of Rossocorsa and his Ineco-MP Racing teammate, Thomas Gostner, repeating the following day after Manuela Gostner took centre stage with the pole position but made a mistake on Sunday’s Race-2 and scored no points. In the Coppa Shell Am the spoils were shared between Sweden’s Ingvar Mattsson and Turkey’s Murat Cuhadaroglu. However, it was the young Pole Agata “Agi” Smolka who made the biggest impression, starting at the front of the grid on Saturday and finishing second on Sunday.
Schedule. The racing weekend will be starting on Friday with the Free Practice, while Races will be both days at 1.20 pm and 3.50 pm local time (2.20 and 4.50 pm CET).
| Circuit | Baku City Circuit |
| Date | 29.04.2018 |
| Laps | 51 |
| Distance | 306,049 km / 190,211 miles |
| No | Driver | Ferrari | S/N | Team | Result |
| 5 | Sebastian Vettel | SF71H | – | Scuderia Ferrari | 4. |
| 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | SF71-H | – | Scuderia Ferrari | 2. |
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Baku, 29 April
Posted: 29.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Maurizio Arrivabene: “As we had already seen yesterday, today our car proved to be very competitive and capable of doing well on any kind of circuit. We were controlling the race with Sebastian, but the double intervention of the Safety Car cancelled the gap we had built up. As for Kimi, after the accident on Lap 1, he charged back to second place. All weekend long, the team reacted strongly and calmly and now we’re looking ahead to the next race in Spain.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “It was not the easiest or most enjoyable race. After the accident with Esteban on the first lap, I had to come in to change the nose and switch to Soft tires. I don’t know if my car was damaged, but overall the feeling was ok. The tires were not consistent, a bit on-and-off; I was struggling to keep them warm enough and had some difficult moments. Some laps they felt good and some others it was more tricky. After that, things went back to normal. I tried to stay out of trouble, pushing when it felt right to do so and do my own race. I was expecting something to happen sooner or later. It’s never too late; you need to be ready, because you never know what can happen until the race is finished. We are pretty confident for the future, because we have the speed, and this is the main thing. We just need to minimize all the mistakes and the issues to be up there all the time. Today obviously feels better than yesterday, it worked out pretty ok. I will happily take this second place, considering the tricky race we had.”
Sebastian Vettel: “We are not entirely happy, because we could have won. In fact, I am very upset about losing the position at the restart, because I didn’t want that to happen, but there are also so many positive aspects to take from this race. When the safety car pulled away, I saw a gap and I went for it, but obviously it didn’t work. So, now it’s easy for everyone to say that it was too big a risk, but I was driving at 330 kph on the straight, there was no reference on the left and I didn’t really have many options. Lewis was on the right, while Valtteri was ahead, but I couldn’t really go to the right. I also wanted to go for the inside, but once I locked up, it was tough luck. After that, with the flat spot, it was a shame that I had to give the position to Sergio. Apart from that, I think it was a very good race; we had a good pace and were in control. Anyway, this is how it goes sometimes. I had a chance to win and I tried. It just didn’t work. It was a quick decision, so there was a chance it wouldn’t be right. Now I think we need to look ahead because we had a strong car today. We’ll see what the other races will bring, but we need to stay hungry and keep working.”
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – A dominant performance until…
Posted: 29.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
The safety car spoilt it all. At the flag Kimi is second with Seb fourth
Baku, 29 April– Scuderia Ferrari dominated this whole weekend right up to a few laps before the end and leaves Baku with second and fourth places for Kimi and Seb respectively. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix turned out to be a totally unpredictable race, with the Safety Car closing down the gaps and robbing the leader Vettel of victory, but handing Kimi a lifeline after he had started further back. After four rounds, Scuderia Ferrari leads the Constructors’ championship by four points, while Sebastian is second in the Drivers’ classification, four points off Hamilton.
On the grid, the front runners were all on Supersofts, with the exception of Raikkonen who was using Ultrasofts. Seb maintained his pole advantage at the start, while Kimi was fighting with Ocon and right from the start, the debris was flying. Esteban ended up in the barrier and Kimi needed to pit for a set of Soft tyres and a front wing, as the Safety Car made its first appearance. The number 7 Ferrari re-emerged in 12thplace as five laps went by before the race resumed. Seb had got his tyres up to a good temperature and thus defied Baku’s slipstreaming laws. He then pulled away while Kimi began overtaking other cars so that he was 10thon lap 9. He then passed Stroll as the tyre changes began and out in front, Seb set another fastest lap. Kimi then got by Leclerc, who was having a great race in the Alfa-Sauber.
The two leaders were running at the same pace, but going into the first corner on lap 22, Hamilton locked his wheels and ruined his tyres, so that he had to pit. The leading SF71H stayed out and continued to push. Sebastian’s radar was picking up information on what was happening with the other cars. He pitted at the end of lap 30 to take on Softs, as planned. It took a few laps for the harder compound to settle down, as Bottas stayed out while Kimi was looking to go the distance.
But then it all happened on lap 40, as the two Red Bulls collided on the straight, which brought out the Safety Car, leading Ferrari to opt for a double pit stop. Seb and Kimi came in close formation. The Safety Car led the pack through the pit lane with Bottas in front on used Ultrasofts, followed by Seb, Hamilton and Kimi on new Ultrasofts. Ten laps to go and everything was up for grabs again, as Grosjean, in the process of warming his tyres, hit the wall, so the safety car period was extended.
There would be just a four lap sprint to the flag and the four leaders fanned out, Seb tried to attack but overshot the corner and flat spotted his tyres, running behind Kimi with the Mercedes duo out in front. But that wasn’t the end of the excitement as Bottas got a right rear puncture off some debris, while Perez passed Seb and that’s how it ended.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – “I believe we have good chances”
Posted: 28.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Seb counting on today’s pole – the third in a row for him and the Scuderia – as Kimi snaps out of line and off the front row
Baku, April 28 – His first run in Q3 was good enough for Seb Vettel to take pole position for tomorrow’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Kimi Raikkonen was on his way to what looked like being a sensational lap, but an off-line just before the long straight meant he had to settle for sixth. For Scuderia Ferrari this was its third consecutive pole of the season and the SF71H proved to be the car to beat on the six kilometre track and its combination of tight corners and flat-out sections.
And yet, Seb feels that he could have improved still further: “I am very happy for this result, but I am a little bit upset with my final lap because I locked up in turn 3. I knew the car was good and in the first two corners I was already one and a half tenth faster than the lap before. Then, maybe, I hit the bump the wrong way a little under braking and I locked up. In the end I made the corner, so I wasn’t that late, but obviously after that, the grip wasn’t the same. It’s a shame because I think I could have been faster, but I am happy anyway. I am sorry for Kimi because we could have both been on the front row. However, we’ll see tomorrow, It’s going to be a long race. I think it is very important to be able to fight for the pole in order to have a good chance during the race. Even if the result has been good these last few Saturdays, there’s still a lot of work for us. We know that the car can be faster. Obviously we have worked hard to get to where we are now, but everybody in the team knows there’s more to do. We have to stay focused and keep pushing. However, I am not afraid for tomorrow and I believe we have good chances”.
A disappointed Kimi summed up his afternoon: “In Q3, on my last run I had a lot of speed and the feeling with the car was really good; I knew I had a very good lap going. Entering the last corner I took it very easily because over the weekend the wind has been quite tricky there. But for whatever reason I got a massive snap exiting the corner and went sideways. I was able to get the car back but the lap was gone. I’m pretty sure that without that mistake I would have been in a much better position. It’s very painful and frustrating to mess it up in the last corner like that, I’m very disappointed. Unfortunately with the mistake we are not in a very good position for the race. Today it did not pay off, but tomorrow is another day and we’ll do our best”.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Vettel takes pole for Ferrari
Posted: 28.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Raikkonen on third row
Baku, 28 April – In today’s qualifying session, Sebastian Vettel went quickest to take his 53rd career pole, his eighth for Scuderia Ferrari, with a lap in 1’41”498, set on Ultrasoft tyres. Team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was sixth fastest using the same tyre compound.
The race starts at 16:10 tomorrow (14h10 CET.)
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Ready for qualifying
Posted: 28.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Seb fastest and Kimi 3rd in P3
Baku, 28 April –Ferrari were first and third in the final free practice session at the track in the heart of the Azerbaijan capital. Sebastian Vettel did a 1’43”091, running on Ultrasofts. His Finnish team-mate used the same tyres on his way to a best time of 1’43”493. With just a few minutes of the session remaining, the red flag came out following a crash for Williams driver Sirotkin. The session restarted with just three minutes to go. The action resumes at 17h00 local time (15h00 CET) with qualifying, when it is expected to be overcast with gusts of wind.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – “We took the right decision today”
Posted: 27.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Kimi happy with set-up changes, Seb satisfied with race pace
Baku, April 27 – On a track which sees constant improvement as the asphalt cleans up and more rubber is laid down, Kimi Raikkonen made the best of the set-up improvements established in the first session to go second fastest in Practice 2. Team-mate Sebastian Vettel never managed a fast lap run (both using Ultrasofts) and subsequently focused on long runs for the remainder of the late afternoon session.
“It was an ok day”, said Kimi. “It was not very easy to start with, so during the first practice we decided to switch to a different set up. Unfortunately these kind of changes take quite a long time, but I’d rather skip or lose some track time in the first session and be ready in the second one. All in all, it was the right decision and our P2 was pretty decent. This is a street circuit but not a traditional one. The grip was really limited, especially since low downforce settings are used here. For sure there are things to improve as always, but we were not far from the top today. I think the long run was ok, the race pace looks good. Now we have to analyze all the data and see what we can do for tomorrow”.
“I think that in this place it is quite tricky to find the rhythm and in the first session I didn’t,” Seb commented. “At the beginning of the second one I lacked pace and could not put the lap together, but that can happen very easily here. I made some mistakes under braking, but I think that the long run was a little better. I think we can improve the car for tomorrow and it should be ok. It’s just the beginning after all. We have to understand what the car needs and we have a little bit of time to reset. Hopefully, it can be better tomorrow”.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Baku P2: Kimi second
Posted: 27.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Testing three tyre types, Seb 11th
Baku, 27 April – In the second free practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the two Ferrari SF71Hs finished second and eleventh. Kimi Raikkonen posted a 1’42”864 and team-mate Sebastian Vettel did a 1’44”127, as a result of making a mistake on his quick lap, before concentrating on race pace. The German used Supersoft and Ultrasoft tyres, while Kimi ran Soft and and Ultrasoft. Tomorrow’s final free practice session gets underway at 14h00 local time, 12h00 CET.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Baku, first session done
Posted: 27.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Set-up work on the two SF71Hs
Baku, 27 April – The first free practice session for the Azerbaijan GP ended at 14h30 local time (12h30 CET.) as usual on this street circuit, the track surface was very dirty at the start of the session, offering little grip. Therefore, after a handful of installation laps on the Ultrasoft tyres, Kimi Raikkonen pitted for a major set-up[ change in preparation for P2. Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel completed a few more laps, also on the Purple-banded tyres. He was tenth fastest in 1’46”513, while Kimi did a 1’46”861, which put him in 15th place. The second session starts at 17h00 local time, 15h00 CET.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – “We expect to be fighting at the front”
Posted: 26.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Kimi and Seb ahead of the Baku race: “Speed wise, the car is good”
Baku, April 26, 2018 – Moving the Azerbaijani Grand Prix up the calendar is having a significant impact on the conditions which can be expected for the weekend. Nights are chilly in Baku at the end of April, and a strong, gusty wind is sweeping the six Kilometre long track. Scuderia Ferrari drivers are gearing up for the first “street” race of the season, and tomorrow’s first practice session which takes place at 1 pm local time (11 am CET) will see the two SF71Hs running some new components.
Kimi Raikkonen gives his comment on the circuit: “To be good here in Baku you don’t need anything more than at any other track. Obviously it’s a different layout, a kind of street circuit, but quite an open one, apart from the very tight area around turn 9 and 10. For a street circuit, it requires quite a low downforce level, probably the first one of this kind we run this season. We need to be stronger everywhere, but I think that our car has been good so far. Speed wise we have been pretty ok, It would be a surprise if we cannot fight at the front. The feeling with the car has been pretty straightforward so far this season. I think we improved since the first test; tires played a big part in it, with better and stronger front ones. For sure there are always things to improve, but that’s a never ending story in Formula One. We need to tidy up certain elements and do things in a stronger way. But if we keep working the way we are, I’m sure things will go in the right direction. Let’s see how this weekend goes. It’s a long way to the end of the season, and I want to do well”.
Sebastian Vettel adds: “It is exciting to be here in Baku and we are going to try and start from the front row. This track is quite nice, with the exception of the straights, which are maybe a little too long… But they are part of the ‘soul’ of the track, so overall I like it, I think it is quite challenging”.
Looking at the broader picture, Seb said: “We know that we built a good car and that we have a big potential to make it faster. That’s what we are working on. I believe you always learn something from every race and I think last year Baku was very different from all the other races. I hope to be the man to beat, but it’s a long season. At the moment things looks good, but it doesn’t mean anything. The last three races of the year will mean much more than the first ones…”.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – An uncompromising circuit
Posted: 24.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
To Baku for a round split between continents
Asia or Europe? When one speaks of Baku and the Azerbaijan GP it is a legitimate question. Geographically, the Caucasian republic is without a doubt on the Asian continent, but it’s a member of the Council of Europe and the inaugural edition of this race was even named the GP of Europe.
However, from a logistical perspective, the situation is pretty clear: the Azerbaijan GP brings to an end the opening run of “flyaway” races. Most of Scuderia Ferrari’s equipment has come directly from China and only after Sunday’s race will it all be repatriated for servicing prior to the Spanish round.
Therefore, this weekend, preparations are taking place for a completely unique and uncompromising circuit. It runs anti-clockwise over six kilometres, with around twenty turns, almost all of them right-angled, in the old part of the capital city, featuring the tightest “dogleg” of the championship, where the track passes the Maiden Tower, before ending with two kilometres absolutely flat out along the Promenade that runs alongside the Caspian Sea, which looks particularly lovely at night.
Car set-up also leaves no room for compromise: the long straight requires low downforce aero settings to ensure maximum speed and to allow the driver to attack and defend in the race. Even if the road surface has been prepared for the Grand Prix, some of the negatives of a street track, such as the unwanted arrival of plastic carrier bags, are almost inevitable. Tyre choice is from the softer end of the spectrum, with Soft, Supersoft and Ultrasoft compounds available.
Motor Legend Festival – F1 Clienti and XX Programmes conquer Imola
Posted: 21.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Imola, 21 April 2018 – Day two of the Motor Legend Festival at Imola’s Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari with more than twenty cars of the special F1 Clienti and XX Programmes activities of the Prancing Horse.
F1 Clienti. Some of the most incredible single-seaters from the last three decades lapped at high speed the Italian circuit, including an F1-89, an F2007 and an F2008. Alongside the Formula 1 cars there was also an F333SP, the prototype who won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1998. Fans at the event also had the chance to see two examples of the F2002 car and one F2003-GA, both winners at the San Marino GP held in Imola.
XX Programmes. Customers also drove the 4,909 metres of the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit behind the wheel of the cars of the exclusive XX Programme. Eight FXX Ks and one FXX K Evo were on track. These are the most powerful Ferrari ever produced with more than 1000 hp. Tomorrow, on the last day of the Motor Legend Festival, two more session are scheduled for both F1 Clienti and XX Programmes.
Ferrari to star at Motor Legend Festival – F1 Clienti and XX Programmes on track at Imola
Posted: 19.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 19 April 2018 – The Motor Legend Festival kicks off on Friday at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit in Imola. The festival aims to offer full immersion in the world of two and four-wheeled sports competitions, celebrating the champions of yesterday and today through some of the most iconic vehicles in the history of motorsport. The event programme will be enriched by F1 Clienti and XX Programmes, two of Ferrari Corse Clienti’s most exclusive activities.
Horsepower and technology. Only a very few cars of the XX Programmes are produced and they are all created exclusively for track use. At Imola there will be three FXXs, the progenitor car of this activity, twelve 599XX and 599XX Evos, front engine cars equipped with very sophisticated technology, and nine FXX Ks. The FXX K was presented at the Finali Mondiali 2014 in Abu Dhabi and since 2015 has been used on track by special customer-testers assisted by professional technicians and drivers to help them perfect their driving style and obtain the most out of their cars. Among the FXX Ks there will be one equipped with the new Evo kit, presented at the Mugello Finali Mondiali last November. This is an aerodynamic kit that increases the aerodynamic load and allow for even more extreme performance from the over 1000 hp delivered by the 6-litre V12 engine and the Hy-Kers hybrid system.
Legendary single-seaters. F1 Clienti will field more than ten cars that have made the history of the category, illustrating the last 30 years of Formula 1. Fans will be able to admire an F1-89, the first single-seater to be fitted with a semi-automatic gearbox on the wheel, a car that won on its debut in the 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix with Nigel Mansell. Fans will be thrilled to see three cars from the Michael Schumacher era lap the track, two F2002s and one F2003-GA that won at Imola in 2002 and 2003. Among the most recent single-seaters there will be two F2007s belonging to Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, one F2008 driven by Kimi and two 2011 F150° Italias belonging to Fernando Alonso.
Programme. From Friday to Sunday the cars of the XX Programmes and F1 Clienti will perform two sessions a day. Maranello cars are expected to be the big stars of the Motor Legend Festival, with Ferrari customers all set to enjoy the big crowds.
Ferrari Portofino Tour kicks Off 20 cars to drive across Europe
Posted: 16.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Maranello, 16 April 2018 – The Ferrari Portofino will be the undisputed star of a Europe-wide tour that hits the road on 16 April. The famous Ligurian town, that both gave the car its name and played host to a world premiere attended by hundreds of clients last September, provides the starting line from which 20 examples of the new Ferrari will depart to over 60 cities across the continent.
The Prancing Horse’s most loyal enthusiasts and collectors will be treated to a truly exclusive preview of the car’s prowess as they take turns behind the wheel of the Ferrari Portofino on Europe’s most beautiful roads and experience the car’s performance across a wide variety of conditions.
Three alternating itineraries will crisscross very different terrains, ranging from the rolling Tuscan hills to the slopes of the Alps, the Cote d’Azur, the Scandinavian Peninsula, Stockholm Bay and the Port of Belfast. Settings that will provide the perfect showcase for the driving pleasure and versatility of this stunning convertible GT, permitting clients to savour the V8 engine’s 600 cv, the handling and superior in-car comfort that put it at the top its category.
We Race Comic: Scuderia Ferrari enters the world of comic
Posted: 13.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
A new editorial project born at the intersection of the passion for racing and the world of comics.
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Ferrari announces voting results from its Annual General Meeting
Posted: 13.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Maranello (Italy), 13 April 2018 – Ferrari N.V. (“Ferrari” or the “Company”) (NYSE/MTA: RACE) announced today that all resolutions proposed to Shareholders at the Ferrari’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the “AGM”) held today in Schiphol-Rijk, the Netherlands, were passed.
The Shareholders approved the 2017 Annual Accounts and a dividend in cash[1] of Euro 0.71 per outstanding common share, totalling Euro 134 million. The outstanding common shares will be quoted ex-dividend from April 23, 2018. The record date for the dividend will be April 24, 2018 on both MTA and NYSE and the dividend on the outstanding common shares will be paid on May 2, 2018. Shareholders holding the Company’s common shares on the record date that are traded on the NYSE will receive the dividend in U.S. dollars at the official USD/EUR exchange rate reported by the European Central Bank on April 19, 2018.
The Shareholders re-elected all current directors of Ferrari. Sergio Marchionne was re-elected as executive director of Ferrari. John Elkann, Piero Ferrari, Delphine Arnault, Louis C. Camilleri, Giuseppina Capaldo, Eduardo H. Cue, Sergio Duca, Lapo Elkann, Amedeo Felisa, Maria Patrizia Grieco, Adam Keswick and Elena Zambon were re-elected as non-executive directors of Ferrari.
The Shareholders appointed Ernst & Young Accountants LLP as Ferrari’s independent auditor until the 2019 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.
The Shareholders also delegated to the Board of Directors authority to purchase common shares in the capital of Ferrari up to a maximum of 10% of Ferrari’s issued common shares as of the date of the AGM. Pursuant to the authorization, which does not entail any obligation for Ferrari but is designed to provide additional flexibility, Ferrari may purchase shares of its own common stock from time to time in the 18 months following the AGM, at a price not higher than 10% above or not more than 10% below the average of the closing price on the NYSE and/or MTA for the five business days prior to the date of the purchase.
Details of the resolutions submitted to the AGM are available on the Company’s corporate website at http://corporate.ferrari.com.
Concurrently with the AGM, the Company published its 2017 Sustainability Report. This Report was prepared in accordance with the new GRI Standards, the main international framework for reporting on governance, environmental and social themes.
To view the 2017 Sustainability Report online, please visit the following link: http://corporate.ferrari.com/en/investors/results/reports.
| Circuit | Shanghai International Circuit |
| Date | 15.04.2018 |
| Laps | 56 |
| Distance | 305,066 km / 189,599 miles |
| No | Driver | Ferrari | S/N | Team | Result |
| 5 | Sebastian Vettel | SF71H | – | Scuderia Ferrari | 3. |
| 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | SF71-H | – | Scuderia Ferrari | 8. |
Chinese Grand Prix – Shanghai, 15 April
Posted: 15.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Maurizio Arrivabene
“Today’s result was definitely not the one we were aiming for, given that we were starting from the front row. Our race pace wasn’t bad, but this was a Grand Prix in which the many variables made the difference. Kimi made it to the podium and Sebastian limited the damage in a car which, after the collision, was not in the best of conditions for a fight. Now it’s important for us to maintain concentration and determination, already thinking about the next race in Baku.”
Kimi Raikkonen
quote It was quite a painful race and not a very enjoyable one. At the start I had a good jump, but then I had to back off and this cost me a few places. After the pit stop the car was pretty fast and the feeling was good; at that point we were behind, but I could see the other cars at the end of the straight. The safety car helped us, at that time we had fresh tires. I would say it took us back in the race. In the end I had a decent speed with the Mediums against the guys that were on the same tires, but getting close to them and try to follow was really tricky. For sure we were faster than Valtteri, but when you get close it becomes more difficult, you lose so much grip in the process and lose so much downforce, especially in this kind of circuit. I just couldn’t get enough of a run on him. Today we take the third place, but obviously when you start from the first row it’s far from ideal. We’ll try to do better next time.”
Sebastian Vettel
“I was lucky to end my race. After a collision like the one I had, I think we could have even stopped there. Obviously, the lucky thing is that the car was still working, even if the balance was gone. We lost the lead after the pit stop and that was not ideal. We were quite sure we would have come out in front, but we didn’t. The timing of the Safety Car was bad for both me and Valtteri, because we had no chance to react. After that it was clear that Red Bull was faster and I think there was no point to resist much at the way Daniel approached from behind, and then the same happened with Max. I gave him some room just in case he had a bit of tire lock-up, but then obviously he had a big one and that’s why we crashed. I think he realized he was wrong. We were both lucky to continue but it was not necessary. However, I appreciated the fact he came to me straightway because that’s the way to solve things like this, face to face. But obviouslyM this is not the result we were looking for.”
Chinese Grand Prix – A podium and regrets
Posted: 15.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Kimi third but Seb gets hit and finishes eighth. The Safety Car called the shots
Shanghai, 15 April –This race was decided by the arrival of the safety car and tyre strategy. Scuderia Ferrari finished on the podium thanks to Kimi Raikkonen’s third place, but having started from pole, Sebastian Vettel had to settle for eighth place after Verstappen ran into him, thus dropping him down the order. However, the German still leads the Drivers’ championship classification.
Both SF71Hs were on the front row, but the start was closely contested. Seb maintained his pole advantage, but Kimi had to give best to Bottas and also came under attack from Verstappen, who had the advantage of running the Ultrasoft tyres and had also passed Hamilton. The race leader extended his lead to a couple of seconds, to stay out of the DRS range and Kimi was also fending off Hamilton. At the moment, the very long Shanghai straight was not the scene of any overtaking.
Over the radio, it was time to discuss strategy. Red Bull did a double tyre change on lap 18 and Kimi made the most of the clear air to set his fastest time, while Hamilton headed for the pits to fit Mediums. One lap later (number 20) it was Bottas’ turn to pit and Ferrari reacted, but the pit stop took a few tenths too long and coming out of pit lane, Vettel found himself behind Valtteri, who had pushed really hard on his out lap.
Now there was a group of three: Raikkonen, yet to change tyres, was attacked by Bottas, but held him off at the hairpin. This allowed Seb to close and when Kimi had to give best before pitting, the number 5 car was in the DRS zone. Time for another thrilling duel, the third in as many races. On lap 32, the Safety Car came out to allow debris to be cleared away after the two Toro Rossos had collided at the hairpin. Our boys stayed out and Kimi gained ground on Ricciardo who had pitted.
The race resumed on lap 36 and, on new Softs, Ricciardo attacked Kimi who had lost time with Verstappen. Max himself went off track while attacking Hamilton, and Ricciardo got past. The Red Bull pair had the edge in terms of tyres and Verstappen was thus able to repass Hamilton, while Ricciardo got ahead of Seb. Verstappen also tried to get ahead of the German but instead, he tipped the Ferrari into a spin on lap 44. The Stewards investigated the incident and gave Verstappen a 10 second penalty.
Kimi was third, faster than Bottas, who had lost the lead to Ricciardo, but Sebastian had dropped down to seventh with damage to the side of his car, so that even Alonso barged past him. The world champion could do nothing other than defend his eighth place from a last attack from Sainz.
Chinese Grand Prix – Another front row lock-out…
Posted: 14.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Seb: “The car was amazing”. Kimi: “We’ve been pretty consistent”
Shanghai, April 14 – Just one week after the Bahrain lock-out, Scuderia Ferrari once again qualified both cars on the front row as Seb Vettel beat Kimi Raikkonen by a mere 0.087 seconds in the qualifying session for the 2018 Chinese Grand Prix. This result marks pole number 215 for the team, the 7th for Sebastian in Ferrari colours. In very different weather conditions from the ones encountered at Sakhir last weekend, the SF71Hs delivered a strong performance with both the Ultrasoft and the Soft compound, the latter being the one with which both drivers start on tomorrow.
“It’s been a great result and I am really happy for the team”, said Seb. “Today the car was amazing and it was great fighting for the front row with both cars on our own. It was very windy and not easy to get the right feeling. However, when the car is quick and works, you get a lot of confidence and that helps. We didn’t expect to be so strong compared to our competition. We made some small changes today on our car, but it was pretty good yesterday already. I made some mistakes during my first lap in turn three and six, where I had oversteer. The tires here are very sensitive, so I knew that if I kept it clean, then the final part of the lap would be better. I didn’t know what the others were doing, but I was quite sure about getting the pole because I think I was one of the last cars and so could profit from track evolution. Tomorrow the weather should be sunny, which makes the asphalt hotter. We’ll see how it works, but I think we’ll be very close”.
Kimi added: “We have been pretty happy with the way things have been so far this weekend. Qualifying today was pretty close; we had two good laps, but unfortunately I lost some speed in the last sector and couldn’t improve. Obviously I wanted more, but tomorrow is another day. We ‘ll start the race with the Soft tires and our rivals start with the same compound: that will be slightly different compared to the other cars and I think it will be better like this. We did what we think is the best for us and is supposed to give us the best result in the end. Our aim is to win, first of all we need to do a good job tomorrow and take the most out of it. I think we have been ok in all the races so far; we have been extracting more out of the car and learning more about it. We have been pretty consistent and happy with things, obviously we need to improve here and there but that’s a normal and never ending process”.
Chinese Grand Prix – Ferrari front row in Shanghai
Posted: 14.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Seb on pole, with Kimi alongside him
Shanghai, 14 April – It was a closely contested qualifying for tomorrow’s Chinese Grand Prix. At the end of the session, Vettel took his 52nd pole position, the seventh with Scuderia Ferrari, in a time of 1’31”095. Kimi Raikkonen was second in 1’31”182. The two SF71H cars ran the Soft tyres (which they will use for the start tomorrow) and Ultrasofts. Qualifying took place under overcast skies, in cold and windy conditions, but it stayed dry. Tomorrow’s race gets underway at 14h10 local time, 08h10 (CET.)
Chinese Grand Prix – Ferrari quickest in P3
Posted: 14.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Seb ahead of Kimi in a cold Shanghai
Shanghai, 14 April – Final practice at the Shanghai International Circuit was held under cloudy skies in cold conditions, with temperatures no more than 12° (16° on track.) Sebastian Vettel was fastest for Scuderia Ferrari with a lap in 1’33”018, with team-mate Kimi Raikkonen second in 1’33”469. Both men ran the same tyre programme, using Ultrasofts. Qualifying starts at 14h00 (08h00 CET.) At the moment, the forecast is for dry conditions.
Chinese Grand Prix – “A pretty good base to start from”
Posted: 13.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Kimi and Seb comment on free practice in China
Shanghai – Practice at the Shanghai International Circuit was ended prematurely by drizzle when Kimi and Seb had nearly concluded their long-runs, after setting second and fourth best times on the timesheet. Nearly all drivers set their best times on the Ultrasoft compound, while various types of rubber were tried in race trim simulations. The Chinese track is 5.451 Kilometers long and features a total of 16 challenging corners, but it looks like the fight for tomorrow’s qualifying session will be as close as ever.
“It was a pretty good Friday”, said Kimi “and I’m quite happy with the feeling of the car. I think we have a pretty good base line to start from, it looks pretty good. The car has been quite straightforward since the beginning, so it easy to fine tune things. On one lap we had some traffic, I’m sure we could have gone faster. In the long run we never really got a proper idea due to the conditions: it started to rain and we had limited running, so it’s a bit tricky to know where we are. Today it was close, but then tomorrow who knows what the weather will be; things can change a lot from one day to the next”.
Seb commented: “I think at this track it is very important to find the right feeling with the car and its setup. The track is long and the tires struggle here. But, overall, I think we are quite close. However, the car is not yet where I want it to be. So, we are still looking at how we can improve. I think the SF71H has the pace, but you need to make sure it works. Today it’s been a mixed day and I think in the afternoon it was a bit better and I was a little bit happier. Hopefully tomorrow I’m going to be very happy!”
Chinese Grand Prix – First day of practice over in China
Posted: 13.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Kimi 2nd, Seb 4th
Shanghai –The first day of free practice has come to an end at the Chinese track and the Scuderia Ferrari drivers were second and fourth, with Kimi Raikkonen’s best lap being a 1’33”489, while Sebastian Vettel’s quickest was a 1’33”590. The Finn used Soft and Ultrasoft tyres, while his German team-mate ran the Medium and Ultrasoft. The Scuderia Ferrari drivers concentrated on single fast laps, followed by some long runs in race configuration. But rain in the closing stages brought the work to a premature end. The final free practice session starts at 11h00 local time, with qualifying at 14h00.
Chinese Grand Prix – Free Practice in China starts cloudy and windy
Posted: 13.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Kimi and Seb 2nd and 6th fastest
Shanghai, 13 April – A few days after the Bahrain Grand Prix, Formula 1 is back in action on a completely different track, with fast corners and a 1.2 kilometre long straight. It’s also cooler than at the two tracks visited so far this year, with an air temperature of about 20° and on track, with strong winds. Kimi Raikkonen was second fastest for Scuderia Ferrari with a lap in 1’34”358, while team-mate Sebastian Vettel was sixth in 1’34”861.
Kimi used Medium and Ultrasoft tyres, while Sebastian ran the Soft and Ultrasoft. The second session gets underway at 08h00 CET.
Chinese Grand Prix – “The car is in good shape”
Posted: 12.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Seb and Kimi ahead of China: a demanding track, a different challenge
Shanghai, April 12 – Preliminaries to the third round of the 2018 championship took place under cloudy skies and lower temperatures than expected. Scuderia Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen reflect on the challenge ahead, before the action starts on Friday morning at the Shanghai International Circuit.
“I think we should be alright here in China” says Seb, “even if it is difficult to know. So far there have been only two races and both were very good in terms of results, but they were quite different and here, the track is quite different too. Conditions are not the same as in Bahrain and Australia either. So, we’ll see how it goes, but I am quite confident. I believe that if we have the right balance, then we should be competitive, I just don’t know how much yet. However, we’ll try to win. After this race I think we’ll be able to tell a little bit more, but overall the car is in good shape and it is working, so I know we can be competitive.
This track is quite demanding for tires, so in terms of strategy you try to make all of them work, to understand which one has the best chances. It will be an interesting challenge, so we’ll see. Temperatures are very important here too, because it is colder and it changes the balance of the car, and the limit of the tires. But it is difficult to predict and we need to be patient. We always try to do ourjob well and even if the first two races were ok, they are behind us now. We keep learning and look ahead”.
Kimi’s comments are on the same page as his teammate’s: “This track is completely different, and the layout and the surface of a circuit make a bigger difference than any other factor. Whether this is going to favour someone, or it is the same for everybody, we don’t know yet. We have had good speed at both tracks so far, so I don’t see why it shouldn’t be the same here. We’ll start tomorrow, see how it is and do our normal program. Let’s see how it is going to play out over the weekend, if it will be raining or not. The weather can be a bit tricky here, it’s a bit hard to predict what will happen. It will be interesting to see where we are”.
Chinese Grand Prix – The symbol-shaped circuit
Posted: 11.04.2018
Source: Ferrari
Traffic, smog and charm
In the space of a week the scenario changes completely from the rocky desert of Bahrain to the giant metropolis of Shanghai, as Scuderia Ferrari hits China off the back of the victory in Sakhir. The majority of the team came straight here, while a few reached Shanghai after a brief stop in Maranello. Naturally, Francesco Cigarini also went home, after the unfortunate incident during last Sunday’s pit stop. He has undergone a successful operation on his left leg and is now convalescing.
Shanghai and Sakhir have probably just one thing in common, namely that they both first appeared on the calendar in the same year, 2004 and both resulted in wins for the Scuderia for Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher respectively. The tracks themselves are completely different, as the one in China puts the front tyres under a lot more strain, leading to understeer. The Shanghai International Circuit, shaped like the Chinese symbol “Shang” which means “to aim high” also boasts one of the longest straights on the calendar, measuring 1200 metres. That means top speed and the use of DRS are both important factors.
In terms of logistics, it’s quite a complicated race and not just because it’s the second Sunday of racing in a row. The circuit is quite a way out from the city centre, which is where most of the hotels are located and one usually has to factor in an hour in traffic before spotting in the distance, the vast lotus leaf shapes of the grandstand roof at the Hermann Tilke-designed facility. There’s never much time, but the city is worth a visit, with its strangely European feel, a result of the Chinese port city having always had an influx of foreign influences.
Then we have the weather: the sky is usually grey, because of the smog, but this weekend, that could be down to rain, which is forecast especially for Friday and Saturday. It’s one more variable to consider when looking at tyre choice, which skips one compound, running from white-banded Medium, to yellow Soft and purple Ultrasoft.