Ferrari: Mercedes not much slower on straights

Ferrari

Ferrari: Mercedes not much slower on straights

They were supposed to be much faster.

Matthew Scott

Friday 19 April 2019 16:38 Updated: 16:59

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has played down a supposed straight-line advantage his team hold over their rivals on the grid. Estimates have put the SF90 at least four tenths of a second quicker per lap on the straights than the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull.

Ferrari came away from pre-season testing expecting to head the field after displaying mighty pace around the Circuit de Catalunya.

However, that failed to materialise in Australia, before an engine issue for Charles Leclerc, and Sebastian Vettel's spin, denied them in Bahrain.

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At the Chinese GP, Ferrari were again expected to impress, given the Shanghai circuit features F1's second longest straight, but Mercedes took a third one-two of the year as Ferrari struggled through the corners.

"If you look at the speed of Mercedes I think they were very strong as well," Binotto said.

"So maybe you should ask them how they are so good. I don't think there is much on the straights [between] us and the others."

Next on the calendar is the longest straight of the year in Azerbaijan, but Binotto is unsure if it will play into their hands.

"Baku is a circuit where you've got a different aero configuration certainly so I think it's not only power units [that make the difference]," he said.

"It could be aero configuration. It's not only the straights in Baku, it's a lot of corners. It's a circuit that's very difficult in that respect so let's see.

"I think the competition is very tough. There are races where you may be in front by a few hundredths."