Ferrari not planning big changes after bad period, insists Vettel

40

Sebastian Vettel says the Scuderia isn't undertaking a major organizational shift in its ranks following the reliability woes which hit the team recently.

Singapore's start line double disaster which saw the demise of both Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen was followed by another nightmare weekend in Malaysia, where both drivers were impacted by an engine problem.

An angry Sergio Marchionne suggested changes could be in store for Ferrari's engine department, but Vettel wasn't aware of any impending shifts.

"I heard that as well, not from him, but from the press so I’m not sure it’s put in the right context," said the German on Thusday.

Angry' Marchionne raps Ferrari's knuckles and makes changes

"But what happens on track, happens on track. The thing that happened in Singapore, I don’t think you can take much action.

"We had a problem in Malaysia that stopped myself and Kimi. So it is normal you try to understand things and its normal we have a shift in people.

" But knowing what is going on internally, there is no panic, no big plans as a reaction.

"Maybe it is more a coincidence of events with the interview, but as far as I know nothing big happens."

Work conducted back at Maranello revealed that Vettel and Raikkonen suffered from the same power unit issue although Ferrari has yet to determine the root cause of the failures.

"We have a good understanding [of the problem] but it is still ongoing to try and understand the picture completely.

"It’s only been a couple of days, so parts went back to understand and get a full picture but I’m pretty sure here shouldn’t be an issue."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.