Schumacher predicts MAIN reason Ferrari won't catch Red Bull

Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher has warned that Ferrari won't be able to close the gap to Red Bull any time soon, despite F1's four-week gap between the Australian and Azerbaijani Grands Prix.

The Scuderia left Melbourne without a single point after Charles Leclerc retired and Carlos Sainz was hit with a time penalty which demoted him outside the top 10.

Schumacher believes more than just bad luck cost Ferrari, though, and insists the Maranello outfit still have durability issues that need to be addressed.

"Can Ferrari close the gap? I don't think so," said the German. "I believe Ferrari still has durability issues and changing their concept now will be difficult."

Schumacher also pointed out that the budget cap has limited the ability of any team to spend money and make quick changes in-season.

"We must not forget that we are now under the budget cap," he explained, speaking to Sky Germany. "So, there aren't many opportunities to spend so much money. That's why sometimes it can take longer. Also, three weeks go by quickly because you have to be sure that the upgrades also are the right ones."

Don't hold your breath, Ferrari fans

In terms of Ferrari's recent race performance, Schumacher acknowledged that the team had been slightly stronger, but suggested that this may have been due to changes in the setup and the nature of the circuit rather than any major improvements.

"In the race, Ferrari was a little bit stronger, but that's also due to the track," he explained.

Despite the step forward, the brother of former Ferrari star Michael Schumacher is not getting too excited.

"We saw last year that the performance of Ferrari started super strong and then quickly faded," he said. "Fred Vasseur now has to work on all of this."

Schumacher went on to suggest that there are several areas that need improvement, including operations, reducing mistakes and reacting correctly during pit stops. However, he also acknowledged that the ongoing restructuring and technical goals will pose a significant challenge.

"Everything that's happening in the company right now with the restructuring there, technical goals, and different design paths, that will still be a challenge," said the 47-year-old. "Now there's also bodywork coming as an update soon, let's see what that brings."

Ferrari will be working hard before the next race to avoid a repeat of last season's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, in which both cars retired due to mechanical issues.

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