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[sagi58]

Second race upon us, already!! Come on, Ferrari, give us something more to cheer about!!

Forza Ferrari!!

[sagi58]

Malaysian Grand Prix – Free Practice 1

The Ferraris finished the first free practice session of the Malaysian Grand Prix in second and third places. Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes was fastest in this first bit of action for the second race weekend of the season, with a time of 1.40.124. The two Ferrari men split an aerodynamic evaluation programme, running two sets of the Hard tyre on the demanding Malaysian track. Kimi Raikkonen completed 17 laps, to finish behind Rosberg with a 1.40.497, while team-mate Sebastian Vettel managed just 13, (1.40.985) after having to spend much of the session in the garage while the cooling system was checked.

march 27 - first practice.JPG

[sagi58]

Malaysian Grand Prix – Free Practice 2

Once again, Kimi Raikkonen posted the second fastest time at the Sepang circuit, in the second free practice session for the Malaysian Grand Prix. And also just like in the morning, it was a Mercedes that was fastest, this time that of Lewis Hamilton (1.39.790.) Kimi did a 1.40.163, while in the other SF15-T, Sebastian Vettel was seventh with a 1.40.652. Both Ferrari men worked on a programme that focused on a comparison of the Hard and Medium tyres and some set-up work.

march 27 - second practice.JPG

[Ferrari man 009]

Vettel P2 - first Ferrari front row for 2 years

[myownalias]

Yes, well done Ferrari, unbelievable turnaround from last seasons woes. Maybe its the German connection? The last time Ferrari were in the weeds, Schumacher came in and their fortunes were revived. In 2015, another German joins and suddenly Ferrari are near the front again...

[sagi58]

Dumb question of the Day:

Did Ferrari do a lot of housekeeping, before Schumi came on board?

[sagi58]

Vettel P2 - first Ferrari front row for 2 years

Next on the agenda... pole!!

[sagi58]

Malaysian Grand Prix – Free Practice 3

The Ferraris finished third and fourth in the final free practice session at the Sepang circuit, with Nico Rosberg once again fastest. Kimi Raikkonen posted a 1.40.245 in his SF15-T, fitted with Medium compound tyres, finishing behind the two Mercedes (Rosberg with a 1.39.690 and Lewis Hamilton in 1.39.875). Raikkonen only did 9 laps, as he had a puncture on his left rear when running the Hards, apparently caused when he ran over a piece of carbon on the track. In the other Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel was fourth fastest in 1.40.266 completing 13 laps.

[sagi58]

Malaysian Grand Prix – Qualifying

Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari will line up on the front row of the grid for tomorrow’s Malaysian Grand Prix, after qualifying second in a session hit by a massive storm. The rain arrived at the Malaysian track towards the end of the second part of the session and that meant Kimi Raikkonen, eleventh at the time in 1.42.173, was unable to make the cut into the top ten. In the delayed final part, the German steered his SF15-T to second, running two sets of intermediate tyres, with a best lap of 1.49.908, splitting the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, who took pole in 1.49.834 and Nico Rosberg third in 1.50.299.

march 27 - qualifying.JPG

[myownalias]

Dumb question of the Day:

Did Ferrari do a lot of housekeeping, before Schumi came on board?

I can't remember specifically, it was almost 20 years ago, but I know that he took a few key personnel from Benetton with him when he moved to Maranello.

[sagi58]

Dumb question of the Day:

Did Ferrari do a lot of housekeeping, before Schumi came on board?

I can't remember specifically, it was almost 20 years ago, but I know that he took a few key personnel from Benetton with him when he moved to Maranello.

Thanks, MOA!!

Sounds like those few key personnel would have left a void at Benetton,
and filled on at Ferrari.

Did Vettel bring a few with him, too?

[sagi58]

Malaysian Grand Prix – Race


Sebastian Vettel won the Malaysian Grand Prix for Ferrari at the wheel of his SF-15T. Having started from second on the grid, the German managed to finish ahead of the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. His team-mate Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth, after having to make an unscheduled pit stop on lap 2, because of a puncture. He then fought his way back up the order to finish just off the podium. The Formula 1 circus will be back in action after a two week break, at the Shanghai circuit in China.

[sagi58]

Sebastian Vettel - A dream that becomes true

“I think we had a good pace in the end, it was very tight with Lewis. If you look back to one year ago, we had the same conditions, intermediates in the end and it was one tenth, so maybe next year … For sure the result puts us in a good position for tomorrow. I think the target for Sunday is to extract the best race we can, and then we go from there. The nature of the track suits our car well, I expect nothing else than to be very strong tomorrow, but you never know about the conditions in Sepang. There is rain in the air that can hit you at the right time, but also make go all wrong, you just never know. Let’s keep our feet on the ground, in the end we have to look after ourselves. Mercedes is very strong and has an advantage, but it would be nice to give them a hard time tomorrow, it has been a bit too chilled for them in the last months”.

[sagi58]

After qualifying, yesterday, this is what our guys had to say:

Maurizio Arrivabene – A success for the whole team

Today’s result leaves a bittersweet taste. Seb has been just great and the same goes for the all team. About Kimi, I don’t believe either in bad or good luck. First impression comments may render different opinions, but now we have to leave this behind us and focus on tomorrow’s race. I’m sure that also Kimi, who is a great driver himself, will have a go”.

Kimi Raikkonen – We’ll get stronger

“Today it was simply a bad time to go out, we should have been out earlier. I did try to pass Ericsson but he was there trying to do his job; it’s not an unlucky situation but it was a mistake. Tomorrow we’ll try to climb some positions, for sure we have the speed but we are quite far from the front and when you start in this position is not going to be an easy race. Obviously there is going to be more risk in the first corner, but we’ll try to make the best out of it tomorrow.”

And, man oh man, were they right!!

[sagi58]

And, from the BIG Boss:

Chairman Sergio Marchionne’s statement at the end of the Malaysia Grand Prix

“My heartfelt gratitude to Maurizio Arrivabene and the men and women of the Scuderia. What we have seen today is the result of incredibly hard work in the last few months, work that has been carried out in silence and with humility which are the real sign of a great team. Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen for a fantastic race. I am really happy for all the fans who have been waiting so long for a day like this. Forza Ferrari”.