Angry Italian press goes on a Vettel/Ferrari rampage

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As Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel see their title hopes vanish, the unforgiving Italian press has gone to work on the Scuderia and its driver following their botched efforts in Suzuka.

A sudden downturn in performance of the squad's SF71-H coupled with strategic errors and Vettel's own mistakes wreaked havoc on Ferrari's chances of securing a crown that looked last summer like it was destined for Maranello.

The Scuderia's downfall has hit the partisan press which has gone on a veritable rampage against the Italian squad and its members.

"Ferrari is in ruins," said La Gazzetta dello Sport after Sunday's fresh disaster.

"There are strategists who make mistakes, a weak driver who learns nothing from mistakes, a team boss who attacks his team, and a car in decline.

"Before Monza, you could hardly have imagined such a collapse."

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La Stampa agreed: "Maybe it's bad luck, but it's also a fact that Sebastian Vettel no longer does anything right."

And Corriere dello Sport followed suit: "The problem can only be the team and its drivers -- Vettel is in a deep existential crisis."

Corriere della Sera noted Ferrari's sloppy execution in Q3 but mainly lashed out at Vettel who threw away his title hopes with his high-risk move on Max Verstappen.

"The German adds to his collection of horror mistakes by destroying a fantastic start," wrote the paper's reporter.

"These mistakes are an expression of a deep unrest within the four time champion, who is experiencing a crisis of confidence."

It was La Repubblica, however, that perhaps best summed up Ferrari's current state of affairs.

"While Hamilton reaches for Fangio's record, Ferrari's season fails," it said.

"Vettel chose the worst moment to lose and Ferrari breaks up under team boss Maurizio Arrivabene, who criticises his own people."

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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.