‘Ferrari didn’t leave the best impression in testing’

Ferrari heads to Melbourne unsure of where it is in the pecking order with Sebastian Vettel admitting pre-season testing didn’t look great on paper.

Although Vettel was quickest on his final day in the SF1000, Day 5, that was only good enough for P9 on the overall timesheet.

His 1:16.841 put him a full second behind Valtteri Bottas’ 1:15.732.

Vettel’s team-mate, Charles Leclerc, was at least a little higher on the overall log with his 1:16.360 elevating him to fourth place.

But at no stage – not even on Vettel’s P1 day – did it look as if Ferrari had the pace to challenge Mercedes for this year’s titles.

It was, however, just testing.

Vettel acknowledges that none of the big teams gave their all at the Circuit de Catalunya, leaving everyone to wonder just exactly where they are in the pecking order.

“I think if you look at the big teams, then nobody was really trying to do anything fancy,” Vettel said.

“I think most of the work is done in the background and you don’t really see.

“I’m curious to really see where we are in Australia.

“But for sure, it’s not like we leave the very strongest impression right now.

“I’m not worried, and if it is so then it is like this, but we will know in a couple of weeks’ time.”

Last season Ferrari bagged just three race wins, going on a run from Belgium to Singapore, before the team’s power unit was called into question.

The FIA issued two Technical Directives, which co-incidend with Ferrari losing horsepower down the straights.

Follow us on Twitter @Planet_F1 and like our Facebook page.