Italian GP: Ferrari records the worst qualifying performance at home since 1984



CNN

Ferrari’s miserable season went from bad to worse as the Italian manufacturer failed to get either car into the top 10 of their home Grand Prix for the first time since 1984.

Sebastian Vettel did not come out of the first qualifying round and only managed to pick up a modest 17th place, while teammate Charles Leclerc made it to the second qualifying round but could only claim 13th on the grid before the race on Sunday.

Ferrari knew they would be fighting for speed by arriving at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend, but not even they could have predicted that things would turn out so badly.

Leclerc is in fifth place in the drivers’ championship with 45 points, already 112 points behind the breakaway leader Lewis Hamilton. Things are even worse for four-time world champion Vettel, who has only 16 points and is in 13th place.

In the constructors’ classification, Ferrari is in 5th place and a good 203 points behind the leader Mercedes.

A minuscule upside for Ferrari is that its ardent supporters – known as the “fans” – were not present to witness the disastrous performance, with the races still taking place behind closed doors.

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Charles Leclerc's car is returned to the garage.

“In the end, we expected it to come a little bit over the weekend,” a visibly frustrated Leclerc told Sky Sports. “We knew Spa [last weekend] and here are the two worst tracks for us. It’s so … it’s tough.

“That’s the way it is for now and I have to get the most out of the car. It hurts even more that he is at home. This is the reality for us right now. We have to work, “Leclerc said.

At the top of the standings, Mercedes recorded another 1-2 as Lewis Hamilton secured his eighth pole at the Italian Grand Prix, with teammate Valtteri Bottas just missing a tenth of a second to start second. on the grid.

“It was a fantastic performance from the team,” Hamilton told Sky Sports. “It wasn’t the easiest, you saw how close it was between us. He needed a clean ride and I got both.

Sebastian Vettel watches rival Lewis Hamilton secure pole position.

“Valtteri was strong and kept pushing, I was a bit nervous during the last sector. In the years I’ve been here, I’ve had moments where we had less downforce and grip, [but] the speed through the Lesmos [corner] how fantastic. He’s trying to find the right balance which isn’t that easy, ”Hamilton said.

McLaren’s Carlos Sainz arguably scored the day’s performance by securing 3rd place for his best-ever grid spot, while Racing Point driver Sergio Perez’s 4th place equaled his all-time best qualifying position.

top 10

  • 1. Hamilton
  • 2. Barrels
  • 3. Sainz
  • 4. Perez
  • 5. Verstappen
  • 6. Norris
  • 7. Ricciardo
  • 8. Walk
  • 9. Albon
  • 10. Gaseous