F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Angry Arrivabene says Ferrari Q3 mishap is 'unacceptable'

Sebastian Vettel refused to apportion blame on his team for the clear mishap that botched his running in Q3, but Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene wasn't as tolerant with his troops.

The German driver - who is 50 points adrift from rival Lewis Hamilton in the title fight - will start Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix from a lowly P8 while team mate Kimi Raikkonen will line up further up the grid in fourth place.

Both drivers - or rather the Ferrari pitwall - were caught out by track conditions at the start of Q3, the Scuderia electing to send Vettel and Raikkonen out on intermediates as it anticipated rain.

Vettel radioed back to signal that the circuit was dry enough for a run on supersoft tyres, forcing a swap that neither driver could take advantage of as they ran wide or hit the kerbs on their second runs.

An angry Arrivabene addressed the tyre swap issue after qualifying;

"From the way things were done, I do not think that pole position was within our reach, but what happened today is unacceptable," he told Autosport.

"I am very angry. It is not the first time that these mistakes have occurred.

"I do not feel like pointing my fingers at someone in particular, but I'm very disappointed."

The Scuderia boss believed that conditions at the outset of Q3 should not have been complicated to judge for the men sitting on the pitwall, suggesting his crew was perhaps missing an experienced member with better flair and guidance.

"Unlike on other occasions, it was easy to understand what was happening on the track, as all our opponents left the pits with slicks," he added.

"Sometimes it is more useful to take your eyes off computers and watch the track, using common sense.

"It is true that we are a young team, and we are probably missing an 'old hand', an experienced person capable of reading situations correctly and quickly."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

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

Michael Delaney

Recent Posts

Alboreto delivers to Uncle Ken his last F1 win

Michele Alboreto scored an unexpected victory on this day in 1983, winning the Detroit Grand…

30 minutes ago

A thousand grids, one legacy: McLaren’s legends reclaim Monaco

A bridge across generations stood on the iconic Monaco grid this Thursday as McLaren’s past…

1 hour ago

Russell resets F1 title ambitions with ‘nothing to lose’ outlook

After the rollercoaster and heartbreak that was Montreal last time out, George Russell has chosen…

2 hours ago

Formula 1 extends Las Vegas Grand Prix deal through 2037

Just three years after its return to the championship calendar, Formula 1 has confirmed that…

3 hours ago

Monaco active aero ban sparks fresh wave of F1 innovation

Formula 1's engineers are rarely known for leaving performance opportunities untouched, and Monaco's unique regulatory…

5 hours ago

Antonelli reminds Mercedes: ‘You can’t put a leash on a driver’

Kimi Antonelli is learning quickly that leading a Formula 1 championship at Mercedes comes with…

18 hours ago