Tuesday, 10 February 2015

Barcelona will show if Ferrari's pace is real should they top the time-sheets there too

(Scuderia Ferrari SpA via Twitter)

Scuderia Ferrari’s rivals have stated that they are worried about the pace shown by the Italian team over the course of the opening test of the winter in Jerez last week.

The team were fastest three out of the four days in Spain as Sebastian Vettel set the fastest time on day 1 and 2 while Kimi Raikkonen finished the final day fastest, setting the fastest time of the entire test.

The Italian team endured an extremely difficult season in 2014 where they finished in fourth place in the championship behind the Williams Martini Racing Team and Infiniti Red Bull Racing Team.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo, fresh from claiming top spot on the leader board in the Top Gear Reasonably Priced Car believes that the performance shown by Ferrari in Jerez in genuine and while Mercedes Nico Rosberg does not currently see Ferrari as a threat for this season Ricciardo has not written off the team.

Speaking in the Australian Grand Prix podcast Ricciardo stated that Ferrari looked good and that they came out strong.

Ricciardo believes that next weeks’ test in Barcelona will provide a real benchmark as to where Ferrari as it is a circuit that Formula One races at. The Australian also feels that his Infiniti Red Bull Racing Team should be closer to Ferrari in Barcelona.

Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa echoed the sentiment of Ricciardo, the Williams Martini Racing Team driver believes that if Ferrari come out in Barcelona with similar time-sheet topping pace than their potential for the 2015 season is real and that they will be challengers this season. However the Brazilian believes that it is too early to say who will be competitive this season.

© Ben Johnston 2015

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