Australian GP Shows Ferrari Can Replace Red Bull as Mercedes’ Closest Challenger

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: March 15, 2015

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Sebastian Vettel scored a third-place finish in his Ferrari debut at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, confirming the Italian team's strong preseason showing.

The Melbourne race, which kicked off the 2015 Formula One season, might also have confirmed a changing of the guard at the front end of the grid. Last year, after four straight championship seasons, Red Bull were Mercedes' closest challengers, winning three races and finishing second in the constructors' standings.

But now, as the Bulls continue to struggle with unreliable and under-powered Renault engines, Ferrari have made a huge leap forward. Along with Williams, Ferrari are set to replace Red Bull as the team to push Mercedes.



A disappointing 2014 for Ferrari—two podiums, no victories and fourth in the constructors' championship—tempered expectations at the team's Maranello factory. Meanwhile, the Scuderia also undertook a culling of their personnel, starting with bringing in a new team principal in Maurizio Arrivabene and a new No. 1 driver in Vettel.

After just one race, the results look very positive. Not only did Vettel finish third, but his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen looked set for a fourth- or fifth-place finish before a problem attaching one of his wheels at a pit stop ended his race. In 2014, the Finn had one top-five finish all season.

Arrivabene is already thinking bigger, saying, per the Ferrari website:

I’m only half happy today, because the real joy comes when you win. I am happy about the podium and for Seb, but above all I am pleased for the team, because this is a good starting point, although it’s definitely not the end of the road. ... But now we have realised we can do well, we must begin to stop thinking about being 'second best' and start aiming higher.

At the same time, Mercedes' advantage cannot be underestimated. At the 2014 Australian Grand Prix, Nico Ros...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Formula 1

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