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[sagi58]

Still pretty pumped up about Vettel's win in Malaysia.
What do you think? Repeat? Will Kimi get the top step?
Or will the "unmentionable" happen?

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Chinese GP: Practice notes - Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen:

"Overall it has been a good day of work. In the afternoon we had a problem with the brakes but the mechanics did a very good job and managed to fix it, then I was able to go back on track and go on with the programme. It's a bit early to make predictions, we still have things to improve, tomorrow we have to make sure that everything works and have another good day without any issues or problems and then we'll do our best for qualifying and the race."

Sebastian Vettel:

"Generally I feel happy in the car, but I think we can improve it for tomorrow, that is usually what Friday is for. So ideally I would have loved to do more laps, but all in all it was a solid session, for the team as well. I think we can do a step forward tomorrow and then we can see what we can do. First of all it is only the third race of season; second, it is a different track compared to Malaysia, therefore the most important thing is to look after ourselves. The target n.1 is that we are right behind Mercedes, you have to accept that they are very strong, as the season gets on we try to get closer and closer. Fight for pole with Mercedes tomorrow? They were very strong today. For us the most important thing is to make a step forward, there are a few things that we can improve. Am I scared of Red Bull? No, it was probably the first more or less ok Friday for them. I think it is clear that it gets tougher as the season goes on, as everybody will find his own rhythm. Tyre management will be crucial."

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Allison prefers to be realistic

Despite a win in Malaysia and another strong showing today in Shanghai, James Allison prefers to maintain Ferrari's original objectives.

Not that long ago, many were ridiculing Maurizio Arrivabene’s target of two wins for the Scuderia this season; be it for the perceived lack of ambition or downright wishful thinking. However, in the wake of Sebastian Vettel's win in Malaysia, not to mention a clear improvement on 2014, some are now not only tipping the Maranello outfit for many more wins this season but even a serious stab at the title.

Technical director James Allison however prefers to take a more realistic approach.

"I think that we're up against a car, in Mercedes, and others too, that are strong competition," he said in Shanghai following a second practice session in which Kimi Raikkonen, in particular, gave the Mercedes duo a run for their money. "But Mercedes in particular, they have a bit more horsepower than us and a bit more downforce than us and until we've closed those two gaps it's not realistic to talk about title challenges.

"Our objectives were set out at the beginning of the year," he continued, "we thought it was realistic to score a couple of wins and of course we'll take whatever comes our way and we'll do our best to make our car close up as much as we can and who knows what after that during the course of the year, but I think that sticking with the objectives we stated at the beginning of this year is still realistic."

Asked if the Sepang win validates the engineering route he has taken, he said: "I think the main thing it does… well, it makes everybody happy of course, but the main effect it does have is boosting everyone's confidence. The team has had a difficult period over the past couple of years and to score a win was tremendously enjoyable and helps pump everyone up and makes it easier to work the hours that they need to work before we can close up and be properly competitive in every race.

"The stopwatch always tells you what you need to know engineering-wise," he added, "and of course to finish at the front in a race is a great thing but it doesn't tell you much about what's going to happen in the future."

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Chinese Grand Prix – Free Practice 1

Shanghai, 10 April –

Lewis Hamilton was fastest in the first free practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix, the third round of the World Championship, which got underway this morning in Shanghai. Behind the Englishman, who did a 1.39.033, was his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg (1.39.574) and the two Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel (1.40.157) and Kimi Raikkonen (1.40.661).

On the agenda for the Ferrari men, aerodynamic and mechanical set-up work, using two sets of the Medium tyre under a pale sun hanging over the Chinese track, with slightly warmer temperatures than in the past few days.

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Chinese Grand Prix – Free Practice 2

Shanghai, 10 April –

The second free practice session saw the Scuderia Ferrari drivers finish second and fourth, with Kimi Raikkonen (1.37.662) and Sebastian Vettel (1.38.339) respectively. The afternoon programme included a comparison of the two tyre compounds and some long runs. The session ran without a hitch. Fastest was Lewis Hamilton who posted a 1.37.219 in his Mercedes, while Daniel Ricciardo (1.38.311) split the two Ferraris in his Red Bull.

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Chinese Grand Prix – Free Practice 3

Shanghai, 11 April –

In the final free practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix, dominated by Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes, the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel (1.38.313) and Kimi Raikkonen (1.38.512) finished third and fourth. The English Mercedes driver did a 1.37.615 this morning, having been fastest in both Friday sessions too, with team-mate Nico Rosberg second in 1.37.841. The Ferrari duo started off on Medium tyres, working on set-up, before switching to the Soft compound for a qualifying simulation.

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Chinese Grand Prix - Qualifying

Shanghai, 11 April –

It was an exciting qualifying session at the Shanghai track today. Come the end of the hour long grid deciding session, the two Mercedes locked out the front row, with Hamilton on pole in 1.35.782 and Rosberg second with a 1.35.824. Sebastian Vettel will start from the second row in his Ferrari, third fastest with a 1.36.687. Kimi Raikkonen is sixth, separated from his team-mate by the Williams duo of Massa and Bottas.

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Seb - The best we could do

Sebastian Vettel: “All in all it was a good session for us. We had only one real run in Q3 and were able to nail this run and put the car on P3. It is a shame that we couldn’t put both cars side by side. As far as I was told, Kimi had some issues with traffic on the warm up lap and with these temperatures everybody is relaying on the out lap, to nail it on the flying one. The pace is there and I am very happy with this. We have to keep our feet on the ground, Mercedes is very quick, and for a reason, they have a great car and both drivers seem to do a good job. So this makes them difficult to beat. For us, though, I am happy where we are and I hope we can be a bit closer tomorrow. We also have to watch out for others. Never underestimate Williams, also Red Bull seems to be better this weekend: it will be a long race.”

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Kimi - A real shame

Kimi Raikkonen: “I’m disappointed with the result, my car was behaving pretty well most of the time but in in my last run I was not able to put a good lap together. For some reason the handling of the car was different, more loose than in the previous laps and slippery on the rear especially in the first three corners. It’s a shame because in the previous sessions I had been satisfied with the behaviour. My starting position for the race tomorrow it’s not ideal , but I expect to have the same good car we’ve had so far. We’ll try to do our best and I’m sure that with a good start we can extract the best result out of the situation.”

[sagi58]

I know I shouldn't be disappointed, considering last season;
but, I was honestly hoping for more!!

We're still getting a podium; but, I would love to see us on
the top two steps, some time soon!!

Next time, right?

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Chinese Grand Prix - Race

Shanghai, 12 April – Come the end of the third round of the Formula One World Championship, Scuderia Ferrari saw its drivers finish in third and fourth places. Sebastian Vettel made it to the bottom step of the podium and, having started sixth, Kimi Raikkonen came home fourth, thanks mainly to an excellent start. Both drivers set off on new Soft tyres and ran a two-stop strategy. Lewis Hamilton won ahead of his Mercedes team-mate, Nico Rosberg.

[sagi58]

Vettel is being realistic; but, you can hear the hope in his words!!!

 wrote:">Vettel – Happy for the team

Sebastian Vettel: “All in all we can be really happy. It is only race three and the steps we have made so far are really impressive. Third and fourth place for the Team, makes me really happy, I would have obviously loved to put more pressure on Mercedes: after the first and second stop we were able to be right there, but in the last stint they were able to pull away quite a lot. Basically we are closer than four weeks ago, which is positive, but there is still a lot to do. But what’s very positive is also the fact that we stayed ahead of all the other Teams. Second for us was not really possible today, you have to accept that our opponents were quick. For Bahrain, we hope to get again a bit closer. We have a strong car no matter which condition, that is the feeling.

[sagi58]

Kimi is just as positive... and more verbally inclined, too!!

 wrote:">Raikkonen - A great pull out

Kimi Raikkonen: “Considering that my position on the starting grid today was not ideal, fourth place is a good result. My start was ok, I had quite a good jump off the line, and at the first corner I decided to go inside and at the end of the corner I was in the right place and managed to take the Williams under braking – my car is really good at that – and managed to pass them. The car was quite good today; the first set of tyres was a bit tricky, but I think it was the same for everybody, and then the next two sets were ok. Towards the end of the race I was catching up, I knew I had the speed and I thought I still had good tyres. I could still have had a chance to try and fight for podium but the safety car came in and we know we cannot change that.

Today we got close to the podium, from the next race on we have to have a better weekend, doing everything right in qualifying, and we’ll do our best. As a team we scored the maximum today, we know we are behind Mercedes, but we have to be happy with the result. From tomorrow on we have to make another step to be able to challenge them every weekend; we’ll keep working hard as we have done since last year. We trust the way the team is working: now we have to be patient”.