Sunday 26 April 2015

Special feature - Four podiums in four Grand Prix for Ferrari fighting back following a tough 2014

(© Ben Johnston 2015)

Scuderia Ferrari went into the 2015 Formula One season off the back of an extremely tough 2014 campaign which saw the Maranello based outfit fail to win a Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso secured just two podium finishes, a third place in China and second place in Hungary.

Ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix last season, than Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Stefano Domenicali was replaced by Ferrari North America boss Marco Mattiacci. 

The Italian was in charge of the team up until the end of the season. Following the final race of the season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 

Mattiacci was replaced by former Philip Morris Vice President Maurizio Arrivabene.
Ferrari Chairman Luca Di Montezemelo also left his role with the Italian company and was replaced by FIAT Chairman Sergio Marchionne.

Following a tough season in 2014, Fernando Alonso returned to McLaren as they embarked on a new power unit partnership with Honda. The Spaniard was replaced at Ferrari by Infiniti Red Bull Racing’s four time world champion Sebastian Vettel.

(© Ben Johnston 2015)

On his debut for the Italian team Vettel finished the Australian Grand Prix in third place behind the Mercedes AMG PETRONAS F1 Team’s Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. In only his second race for the Prancing Horse Sebastian Vettel secured victory ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. In China, Vettel finished the race in third place.

The new SF15-T really suits both Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen and Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene confirmed earlier this week that he met with the design team last December asking them to design a car that would suit the Finn’s driving style.

The Iceman retired from the first race of the season after the team made a mistake during his second pit-stop after a tyre came loose on his car.

In Malaysia, the Finn ended the race in fourth place and followed this up with another fourth place finish in China. Last time out in Bahrain, Raikkonen finished the race on the podium in second place behind race winner Lewis Hamilton claiming his first podium finish in over a year and his first podium for Ferrari since the 2009 Italian Grand Prix.

(© Ben Johnston 2015)

Scuderia Ferrari are currently in second place in the Constructors championship on 107 points, 52 behind current leaders Mercedes.

In the Driver’s championship, Sebastian Vettel is currently in third place in the standings on 65 points while Kimi Raikkonen is currently in fourth place on 42 points. Scuderia Ferrari will a massive upgrade package for the next race, the Spanish Grand Prix at the Barcelona Circuit de Catalunya which will include a new power unit which have increased output of up to 40 horse power.

© Ben Johnston 2015

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