Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene rejected the idea that mistakes by the team or its drivers cost them a shot at this season’s championships.
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Mercedes secured the constructors’ title at the final race in Brazil and Lewis Hamilton clinched the drivers’ championship a round earlier. Speaking in the FIA press conference, Arrivabene said it was “not correct” to attribute Ferrari’s losses to mistakes alone.
“We started the season in very good shape,” Arrivabene said. “As Sebastian mentioned yesterday, he made mistakes, and from Monza our car wasn’t where it needed to be — that is a fact if we are talking about facts.
“I don’t want to point a finger at the team or the driver. If we lose, we lose together. If we win, we win together. That’s it.”
Arrivabene stressed that to challenge consistently for championships Ferrari must deliver regular one-two finishes.
“You need to win enough to win the championship, of course. Then it depends on the performance of the other teams.
“The idea to win is very simple. If you are doing one-two finishes regularly — it doesn’t have to be a one-off — it becomes a habit. That way you change your mentality from a fighter to a winner.”
Ferrari took six race victories this year compared to Mercedes’ ten. Ferrari did not record any one-two finishes, while Mercedes managed four.
Earlier, Sebastian Vettel said the team requires a “stronger package” for the next season. “We certainly had strong races this year, but we also had events where we weren’t quick enough,” he said.
“Overall it’s the speed that decides, and more often than not I think we were a little short. We are working hard, and the motivation is there to make that final step that remains outstanding.”
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