Ferrari struggling with grip

The best time of Sebastian Vettel this morning during the final free practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix suggested a potential three-way match for pole position with Mercedes et Red Bull Racing. However, Ferrari was not able to compete for the first row at Daniel Ricciardo, and to the residents of the star Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

At issue in the Italian clan, a difficulty finding grip on the Monaco turnstile, despite the use for the first time in 2016 of the new ultra-soft tires from Pirelli. The first laps in the Principality, however, left high hopes for Sebastian Vettel.

" I am really disappointed, proclaimed the four-time world champion after the session. What we did on the car from Thursday to today was really good and we had improved. This morning we had a good start, and I knew there was a lot more to come and I wasn't worried at all, but the longer qualifying went on, the harder it became for us to find grip.

When you don't have grip here, it's more detrimental than on another track. The car was starting to slide a lot and at this point we don't understand why. It’s disappointing because I missed a good opportunity to start the race at the front. »

The situation remains even more complicated for Kimi Räikkönen, who had already seen his expectations thwarted by a five-place grid penalty after a gearbox change after free practice 3.

“We had trouble getting the tires to work the way we wanted them to: the rear was sliding or the front was sliding. Obviously we're not happy with our position and the gearbox change isn't making things easier, but we'll try to make the most of it. We can't predict what will happen tomorrow, but usually a lot of things happen here. We will try to make the most of situations, make the right calls in the event of a safety car and make the right decisions. »

Photos from the Monaco Grand Prix can be viewed in our dedicated gallery.