Juzh wrote: ↑05 Jun 2018, 14:27
Fulcrum wrote: ↑31 May 2018, 07:37
Well, I don't know about that. This looks like one of Ferrari's least competitive tracks based on the results since 2014.
Results don't tell the whole story. From 2015-2017 they were clearly 2nd fastest, but a variety of circumstances prevented them getting better placings.
2014 - Qualified 7th and 10th, almost 1 second off the pace. Finished the race 6th and 10th, behind a hamstrung Rosberg, both Red Bulls, a McLaren and a Force India, with another FI and Williams having removed themselves from the equation.
2015 - Qualified 3rd (Kimi), 6 tenths back. Yes, Seb had an issue in qualifying. Both cars end up 45 seconds+ behind Hamilton. Vettel, if he had started at the front would doubtless have finished within 20 seconds or so, but that is a long way back. Yes, they were 2nd best this time around, but not competitively so.
2016 - 3rd and 6th, 2 tenths back in qualifying. 2nd in the race, 5 seconds down (Vettel), Raikkonen way back in 6th.
2017 - 2nd and 4th, 3 tenths back in qualifying. 4th and 7th in the race, issues for both drivers, difficult to tell where Vettel would have finished in a clean race, but likely nowhere near Hamilton.
Yes, I would agree, from 2015-2017 they had the 2nd fastest car, which sounds competitive. But the time differentials indicate otherwise. Raikkonen is nowhere, but Vettel has been able to split the Mercedes, under optimal circumstances. Otherwise, they've been less competitive here than other circuits.
Perhaps its simply Hamilton's exceptional ability around this track that 'widens' the divide.