Ferrari race team manager Diego Ioverno says this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza is very demanding for the power unit and brake system, with the Scuderia looking to shine on home soil
Ferrari enters the final European round of the 2016 Formula One season still looking for its maiden victory this year and in the wake of a challenging outing at Spa-Francorchamps, which saw team-mates Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel collide at the start.
Team principal Maurizio Arrivabene claimed the Maranello-based outfit was able to take the positives from its strong pace in Belgium and now looks to convert it into a strong result at the ultra-fast Monza venue.
“Technically, the circuit is unique, it’s the quickest of the championship,” Ioverno said. “There are impressive braking areas, but also reasonably quick corners.
“The braking areas are the ones where you can make the difference. So, power unit and brake system are normally the most stressed parts of the cars.”
Ferrari last won at the Cathedral of Speed in 2010 with Fernando Alonso, though Raikkonen looked like a genuine threat 12 months ago as he lined up second on the grid behind Lewis Hamilton.
The Finn endured a sluggish launch though, which dropped him all the way down to the back of the field. Although he managed to recover to fifth at the flag thanks to a charging drive, Raikkonen hopes he can make amends this time around.
“Last year I could do well in qualifying, but not so good during the start of the race…” the 2007 world champion said. “However, I think the result was OK after what had happened. I’d love to win there and hopefully this year we can do better.”
Scene at the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix
Belgian Grand Prix - quotes of the week
F1i's driver ratings - Spa-Francorchamps
RACE REPORT: Rosberg wins at Spa as Hamilton recovers to third
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