Mekies proud of "small but significant achievements" of Ferrari "time of crisis"

Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies has praised the work ethic of the Scuderia during a "time of crisis" in what was a difficult year for the team.

Ferrari finished sixth in the constructors' championship having been often unable to compete with McLaren, Racing point and Renault at the front of the midfield order.

Charles Leclerc ended the year eighth in the drivers' standings on 98 points and with two podiums to his name while Sebastian Vettel was 13th, on 33 points and having stood on the podium only in Turkey.

Mekies, however, pointed to smaller victories within the team set up as evidence the Scuderia's fortunes could change in the near future.

"It certainly is a good example in what you learn in the time of crisis," he said. "It is in a bad situation you learn the most.

"I think what we will take away is the way the team has been able to stay enlightened in this time, to still try to push as hard as we could despite the known disappointing results.

"A lot of small but very significant achievements in the year which was not easy because we were at the back but it is again something that will make us stronger and that we can carry into next year.

"In a nutshell, what we take is even in such a hard season, in such globally difficult conditions, where we have tried and pushed our limits, I think that is what we will take."

Leclerc and Vettel were involved in several incidents across the year, including a high profile lap-one clash between the pair at the Styrian Grand Prix which caused both cars to retire.

"When you are back there, you are bound to take more risks, the drivers are taking more risks," Mekies explained.

"The team takes more risks on strategy because that is what you have to do to get a good result so getting out of the comfort zone will make us stronger in the future."

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