After a solid Japanese Grand Prix, Ferrari are feeling aggrieved at Japanese race stewards. Race stewards supposedly sent out communications to all teams prior to the start of this morning s race ordering all cars to start the race on the extreme-wet tyre option. And so, many were baffled by Ferrari s seeming inexplicable decision to send both of their drivers out on the wet tyre option.
After a couple of laps, bother drivers were forced into the pits to reclad their cars in the extreme-wet tyres, severely compromising the race of both drivers. Ferrari are now claiming that the communication that was sent from the stewards did not reach the Ferrari team until the race was well underway, and at that point, they pulled both of their cars in for pit-stops.
“After a few laps, we were informed of a decision of the stewards that demanded the use of extreme wets,†Jean Todt, team principal of Ferrari explained. “The team had not been informed, and only after the race did we find that an e-mail had been sent to Stefano Domenicali which arrived after the start of the race. We were amazed and had to immediately call in the drivers to the pits to change tyres.â€
Despite the tyre mix-up, both drivers finished in the points. Raikkonen drove a blinding race, finishing in third place and keeping his diminishing championship hopes alive. Massa finished in sixth place and is now out of the running for the drivers championship.
