Arrivabene: “We haven't made any progress on aerodynamics since Barcelona”

Ferrari's season so far has not been particularly satisfactory, full of ups and downs, performances that could have led to the top step of the podium and performances that have caused the Ferrari to sink. The latest one, the one in Germany, is clearly proof of this: a race in the shadows, far from Mercedes and Red Bull on a track that, theoretically, should have been much more congenial than Hungary, where, paradoxically, we saw a Ferrari much more on the ball than at Hockenheim.

The situation within the team in recent months, especially from a personal point of view, has certainly not helped the Scuderia di Maranello to bring out the maximum potential of this car. There is no denying that the drama experienced by James Allison has some impact slowed down the development of the SF16-H, allowing the opponents to catch up: this, however, cannot be an excuse because we must be able to make up for the lack of a staff member, even though James Allison was a key role in the team. If one column falls, the others must support the structure, it can't all collapse. 

If at the beginning of the season the real problem of the Red was the engine, with the well-known problems with the turbine, after the updates to the Power Unit which resolved most of the difficulties encountered on that component, the weak point became aerodynamics. An "extreme" car, renewed in most of its forms for the 2016 season even if, ultimately, it failed to deliver what everyone expected. At Ferrari at the beginning of the year they were clear on the topic of developments: small updates, but constant. And so it was, so much so that even today at every race, the Maranello team brings small aerodynamic developments (particularly related to the front wing) but, overall, there has never been a clear step forward, no We have never seen a package like, for example, the one introduced by Mercedes at Silverstone, full of new features. Precisely on an aerodynamic level the situation became complicated after the Spanish Grand Prix, as Arrivabene himself admits: "If we look at the situation now and go back, we haven't made big improvements in terms of downforce since Barcelona. This is the problem and this is why I say that we clearly know where we need to work and we need to do it as soon as possible, even if it won't be easy."

The Maranello team will however continue to develop the SF16-H, with updates that should arrive very soon, especially on the Power Unit side, also useful for next season. “Regarding the engine we have a development that is coming. As for the engine there are no problems, but the aerodynamic department will be closed shortly by the FIA ​​(two weeks off for the summer break, ed.), so this is a moment in which it cannot be developed and, after the break, we must use all the time necessary to resolve the problems quickly" concluded the Ferrari team principal.

Gianluca D'Alessandro