If team principal Mattia Binotto’s prediction is anything to go by, Scuderia Ferrari may be in for a tough time. To make matters worse, Racing Point’s sudden impressive performance may be a cause for concern.
On the penultimate day of testing, Sebastian Vettel topped the timesheets in Barcelona. However, the team cannot afford to rest on their laurels, as Vettel’s fastest lap was on the C5 tyres.
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Worryingly, Racing Point’s Lance Stroll was less than two-tenths behind on slower tyres. Furthermore, AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly also delivered some fairly quick laps. The Silverstone-based outfit have been showcasing highly impressive form in Barcelona.
When he spoke to Sky Sports, Mattia Binotto voiced his concerns about Ferrari’s pace. The Italian also opened up on the Racing Point threat for the top 3 places.
“I think Racing Point are certainly very close. I think it’s not surprising if you look at the shape of their car,” he joked. This quip was actually a subtle dig at the uncanny resemblance to the 2019 Mercedes car, the W10.
“But yes, they are strong. But I’m convinced Ferrari as a team are strong enough to develop now onwards. And to make sure we are strong enough not to be threatened.”
Who else should Ferrari be concerned about?
Scuderia Ferrari has a giant target painted on its back, and quite a few teams are aiming their arrows. Aside from Racing Point, the chief threat is Red Bull Racing, led by Max Verstappen. The Austrian team looked threatening in pre-season, in spite of niggling issues over the last couple of days.
On the endurance front, Max Verstappen recorded a high lap count and posted some solid lap times. Binotto acknowledged that Red Bull Racing are continuing their strong form from last year.
“It’s hard to judge. They were competitive at the end of last season. It’ll be a surprise if they’re not competitive again,” Binotto added.
