[PapaofGags]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/139837...er-in-2019

Vettel: 'Key' to work together with Leclerc at Ferrari in 2019.

Sebastian Vettel thinks it essential that he and new Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc have a cooperative working relationship in Formula 1 next season.

With the Scuderia deciding against retaining its number two driver Kimi Raikkonen for 2019, Vettel will have a new team-mate for the first time since he joined Ferrari in 2015.

But while Leclerc's natural speed is obvious, the 21 year-old lacks F1 experience with only 19 Grands Prix for Sauber under his belt, which is why Vettel thinks it would be a mistake if the pair locked horns in a fight for internal supremacy.

"It's going to be different for sure, because Charles is not Kimi and Kimi is not Charles," Vettel told Autosport.
"He is young, so he will have a lot on his head and a lot of things in his mind. So I think for the team we need to work together on track.

"I am sure he wants to beat me, [and] I want to beat him, the rules are clear. It was the same with Kimi.
"But I think the key is that we work together and, as I said, he will have a lot things going on in his head.
"I am his team mate, so I am also here to help. I am the last one that is trying to hide or playing any games or anything like that.

"That is why I think I get along very well with Kimi, because in this regard we are very similar. So we will see."

[forzaferrari]

I think Seb needs to just focus on himself and not Charlie boy...sort your shit out Seb!

[Monster Hesh]

LOL 

You have to laugh. He'd have been better off shutting the fuck up

hehe, just to play devils advocate, I'm going to agree with Vettel. Ferrari haven't had a "Dominant" car, they have had a car that is dominant at certain track characteristics. Also the best operating window, first quarter of the season anyway. In Qualifying only China, where temperature were just an anomaly did they have a dominant qualifying advantage. Other than that qually has been too and fro between the top teams by a couple of tenths, and on a couple of occasions Merc were ahead by 0.4-5s. No team having a spate of dominance. So its been pretty matched, although just like last year Merc 11 - 6 Ferrari, both drivers contributing, however lest us not forget rain did play a role a few times, maybe distorting that, but the result is the result. 

Race pace wise, they look more comfortable at the beginning of the season, but not "dominant". Pace was very close between them all top teams. Then Spain happened and that was a dominance by Mercedes, sickeningly so far ahead. Then again in France and Japan, when the Merc was in its window it was again a dominant car in qualifying and race. Ferrari have had the best race pace a good amount of times, but nothing that I would count as dominant. I don't recall Ferrari having a comfortable cruise of being ahead of 10s or more. What does screw this up a bit is the engine conservation, turning down at ends of races. Lap charts give a better indication, and like Vettel says Ferrari were always pushed until pursuers backed off.

I do disagree on 
"Mostly we were not fast enough, you know," he said. "Because I think at the end of the day you need to have the speed to fight for the championship." 
They were fast enough, not mostly, but enough for the championships.

[PapaofGags]

Ferrari never had a dominant car in 2018, says Vettel...

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferra...l/3207115/

LOL 

You have to laugh. He'd have been better off shutting the fuck up

hehe, just to play devils advocate, I'm going to agree with Vettel. Ferrari haven't had a "Dominant" car, they have had a car that is dominant at certain track characteristics.
I do disagree on 
"Mostly we were not fast enough, you know," he said. "Because I think at the end of the day you need to have the speed to fight for the championship." 
They were fast enough, not mostly, but enough for the championships.

Ok is it possible/allowed to agree with everybody? I think there wasn't a "dominant car" either, though from race to race it seemed the better car swopped back & forth, very close & we are all grateful for it, best two season for a while, both Mercedes & Ferrari should be congratulated on the cars they have made being able to fight for both championships, to me the thing that stands out that was the difference (in W.D.C.) is mistakes from teams & drivers, Lewis & Mercedes made fewer, Lewis & Sebastian had the tools to do the job now we will have to wait for the W.C.C. to be decided to see what history says about who had the better car, I also agree with Morini, Sebastian would be better to have kept quite, just gives people ammunition.

[LotusLover]

Don’t you find it funny though he is “class” when he says well done etc then now he is quoted saying he never had the speed, now he should shut up? You guys should know fully how much flak Lewis takes when he opens his gob, I suppose it’s just our opinions but it is funny how quick we all are to jump over someone and that goes for both camps.

[LotusLover]

I don’t think Vettel is wrong to be honest, if you look at dominance you have to go to 14/15/16 to see a dominant car, as Monster says it’s been “swings and roundabouts” throughout the season, personally it’s been close and on this occasion Seb has a very valid point. Not sure why Itami even being argued really.

[PapaofGags]

http://f1i.com/news/322745-de-la-rosa-fe...ettel.html

De la Rosa says Ferrari 'failed to protect' Vettel.

Former Formula 1 driver Pedro de la Rosa has joined growing criticism of Ferrari for how they supported - or failed to support - Sebastian Vettel during a crucial phase of the 2018 world championship.
David Coulthard expressed similar opinions earlier this week, saying that the Scuderia hadn't backed Vettel in the same emphatic way that Mercedes had rallied behind Lewis Hamilton.
"Things like that put them on the back foot," suggested the former Red Bull driver. "They can't deny that certain strategic decisions have played against Vettel."
Coulthard's sentiments have now been echoed by de la Rosa, who was a test driver at Ferrari in 2013 and 2014 after 104 Grand Prix starts with Arrows, Jaguar, Sauber, HRT and McLaren.

Former Formula 1 driver Pedro de la Rosa has joined growing criticism of Ferrari for how they supported - or failed to support - Sebastian Vettel during a crucial phase of the 2018 world championship.
David Coulthard expressed similar opinions earlier this week, saying that the Scuderia hadn't backed Vettel in the same emphatic way that Mercedes had rallied behind Lewis Hamilton.
"Things like that put them on the back foot," suggested the former Red Bull driver. "They can't deny that certain strategic decisions have played against Vettel."
Coulthard's sentiments have now been echoed by de la Rosa, who was a test driver at Ferrari in 2013 and 2014 after 104 Grand Prix starts with Arrows, Jaguar, Sauber, HRT and McLaren.
Coulthard: Ferrari support for Vettel insufficient
"Ferrari have had a car at Mercedes' level in every way for the first time in the hybrid era," de la Rosa told Spain's El Confidencial.
"But Vettel's mistakes coupled with the fact that Ferrari did not protect him meant that they lost the world championship."
Asked to explain what he meant by 'protect', the 47-year-old said that the team had been wrong not to publicly back their driver when he came under attack in the media for making costly mistakes.

"In the life of a driver, when you make a mistake, but particularly when you're at Ferrari, the team has to protect you," he explained.
"If it does not, it's very difficult for the driver to handle the pressure generated by his own mistake."

[PapaofGags]

https://www.gpfans.com/en/articles/3305/...es-driver/

'Ferrari line up move for Mercedes driver'    Forza starts to sweat...………………  Hehe  

Pascal Wehrlein is the latest driver to be linked with a simulator deal at Ferrari, with Motorsport's Italian branch claiming that the former Mercedes junior could be poached by the Maranello squad. Robert Kubica has also been linked with a development deal at Ferrari if he does not secure a race deal at Williams.

Rather than choose between the two, Motorsport claim that Ferrari could offer both Kubica and Wehrlein a deal.
The German was strongly linked with the spare seat at Toro Rosso alongside Daniil Kvyat, but he has signed a deal with Formula E team Mahindra.

Wehrlein would still be free for many races on the F1 calendar in order to conduct simulator tests from Maranello – a role previously filled by Kvyat before his return to the Red Bull umbrella.
Motorsport also suggest that Wehrlein could be offered a role as Sauber's reserve driver – a sign of the growing bond between the Swiss squad and Ferrari.

Charles Leclerc served his F1 apprenticeship at Sauber this year and will step up to the Scuderia next year, with Kimi Raikkonen moving in the opposite direction.

According to Motorsport, Ferrari are also interested in offering Wehrlein a deal owing to his intimate knowledge of Mercedes W09 car – likely hoping it will give them a competitive advantage in 2019, having lost out to the Silver Arrows this year.

Wehrlein has been in Mercedes' junior ranks since 2012 and previously raced in F1 for Manor and Sauber, but has severed ties with the constructors' champions in an attempt to move his career forward.

[forzaferrari]

Ferrari has announced that its 2019 Formula 1 challenger, codenamed internally 670, will be revealed on February 15...

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferra...d/4312754/

[PapaofGags]

Ferrari has announced that its 2019 Formula 1 challenger, codenamed internally 670, will be revealed on February 15...

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferra...d/4312754/

"In the absence of the traditional Christmas lunch that Ferrari has always reserved for F1 journalists"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHH9EYZHoVU (Video 2m 40s)

In my best Captain Bertorelli voice, "whosa sida you ona" "whata you saya abouta da car" "there is noa *I* ina teama"   


Joking aside, what fantastic day's out those journalists have had, bet their gutted its cancelled.