Ferrari struggling, Marc Gené: “We’re lacking everything” – Will everything be different on Sunday?

Is Ferrari only the fourth-strongest team at the Red Bull Ring? Championship leader Kimi Antonelli is followed by the two McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, then Max Verstappen, and only then Barcelona winner Lewis Hamilton in fifth place. Charles Leclerc is eighth fastest.

Long-serving Ferrari test driver and current special adviser Marc Gené (52) doesn’t beat about the bush: “I’ve been watching what’s going on out on the track, and I’ve also been listening in on the radio to what Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are saying about their cars.”

Marc Gené mit Lando Norris

Foto: XPB

“At the moment, Ferrari is lacking in every respect. The car’s balance isn’t good, and the drivers are also struggling with grip. In Turn 1, you can see with the naked eye just how much better Antonelli’s car is compared to the Ferrari. Incidentally, Kimi is also clearly stronger than Russell there.”

“It’s still difficult to gauge exactly where Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc stand; I don’t think the battle for fourth place is over yet. Charles missed the first practice session, making way for the young Dino Beganovich. He doesn’t seem to have everything quite sorted yet – there’s more to come.”

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“What gives me hope is that the endurance runs are hinting at what might happen on Sunday – and what we’ve already seen in Spain. I reckon that, at these temperatures, tyre management will be absolutely crucial to the outcome of the race. And that’s where I see Ferrari having a better chance than on a single fast lap.”

The Catalan also says: “I also believe that on Saturday we’ll see an improvement in Ferrari’s performance, thanks to better set-up, and that Leclerc will close the gap on Hamilton.”