Ross Brawn slams 'third best' Ferrari

Ferrai

Ross Brawn slams 'third best' Ferrari

The Scuderia are going backwards.

Paul Macdonald

Tuesday 28 May 2019 12:33 Updated: 10:50

Ross Brawn has stated his belief that the 2019 F1 season is 'getting away' from Ferrari and that the Scuderia are currently third best despite Sebastian Vettel's second spot in Monaco.

A five-second penalty for Max Verstappen following a pit-stop incident with Valtteri Bottas handed Vettel second spot by default, salvaging something from a weekend which saw Charles Leclerc exit qualifying in Q1, before retiring from the race.

The result is a step in the right direction for Ferrari considering their problems this season, but Brawn offered a reality check to the Italian constructor, claiming that they are currently the third force in F1.

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He said: "It was a difficult weekend for Ferrari, although it ended with their best result of the year.

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However, Sebastian Vettel’s second place came at the end of a race in which he didn’t play a key role, sitting behind Verstappen throughout but unable to really worry the Dutchman.

“It reflected a weekend during which the Scuderia was the third strongest team. That was predictable given what we saw in Barcelona, where the car struggled, especially in the third sector of that track.

“The season seems to be getting away from the Maranello team, but it’s not the time to give up and it must learn from its mistakes if it wants to move forward.”

Brawn also reflected on Leclerc's performance in the race, adding that the young driver's 'impetuousness' stopped him from a superb result from near the back of the grid.

He stated: "Leclerc for a handful of laps, he was truly spectacular. Then Charles went too far and paid a high price for his impetuousness. His reaction was understandable, however.

“It’s his home race and his first attempt at it with a front-running team. It was supposed to be a special moment but it ended only in disappointment."