‘High speed and Ferrari don’t go together’

Michelle Foster

Charles Leclerc Spa Belgian GP 2019 Ferrari

Unless it rains at Spa, which it should do, Nick Heidfeld believes Ferrari are in for a “very difficult” weekend.

Although Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc won last year’s Belgian and Italian races, that was before the FIA clamped down on the engines and fuel flow rates.

Immediately after the FIA issued its Technical Directives regarding fuel flow, Ferrari lost power and pace on the straights.

The Scuderia has yet to recover.

While team boss Mattia Binotto initially blamed the SF1000’s aerodynamics, he admitted last month that Ferrari “had to adapt” to the TDs, and “as a simple output of that we lost some of the performance we had”.

That deficit is expected to be highlighted at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix with more pain to come a week later at Monza.

There is, however, one bright light for Ferrari at Spa this weekend: the weather.

Current forecasts are for a wet weekend from start to finish with a 60 percent chance of rain during the grand prix.

Former F1 driver Heidfeld believes that’s the only thing that can possibly spare Ferrari’s blushes.

“The only bright spot for Ferrari in Spa is bad weather,” the German said in his Sky Germany column.

“I expect a very difficult race for Ferrari at Spa.

“High speed and Ferrari: they don’t go together at the moment.

“The current engine is far too weak for that.

“In the following race in Monza, Sebastian Vettel fans have to be very brave.

“This is also a power track … So the near future doesn’t bode well for the Scuderia!

“As bitter as it is, Ferrari’s only hope is bad weather right now.

“So there is at least one who is happy about the weather forecast for the coming weekend as it has been announced that it will rain.”

Charles-Leclerc-and-Sebastian-Vettel-Spa-PA

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Ferrari’s lack of pace has left the Scuderia languishing down in fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship with just 61 points.

That’s 160 less than Mercedes and only six races have been run.

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