Ferrari, low profile

However, the start of this Spanish weekend augured good things for Luca di Montezemolo's team. The whole team seemed concerned about getting back to the top. And the third free practice session, in which Massa and Raïkkönen set the two best times, finally gave satisfaction. All that remained was to confirm in qualifying and the race.

But during timed practice, from Q1, Ferrari fell back into its ways. Kimi Raïkkonen, convinced of being qualified for Q2, does not consider it useful to come out of his stand. The engineers agree. And the sanction falls. The Finn, 16th, will start from the back of the grid. Massa, fourth fastest in qualifying, allowed the Team hope to fight for the big points.

At the start of the Spanish Grand Prix, bad luck seemed to change sides. A big pileup sends five cars into the scene but spares Raïkkönen, who was passing by. The Finn took the opportunity to return to tenth position and plans to fight for points. But a new problem of reliability of the car slows down the Finn, who can no longer accelerate, abandonment is inevitable.

At the front, Felipe Massa is in the fight for the podium. Author of a good start, he is left behind by the Brawn but fights throughout the GP with Sebastian Vettel, which he manages to contain. But eight laps from the finish, the bad news arrives by radio. His car, with little fuel, will run out of fuel if he continues to attack so much. To avoid a refueling that would almost take him out of the points, the Brazilian must take his foot off to save his fuel. He thus lets Vettel slip towards 4th place and even sees Alonso take 5th position from him.

At the end of this still not very prolific weekend, the Scuderia now knows that it is capable of fighting with the leading cars. But to hope to win a Grand Prix and move up the hierarchy of teams, Ferrari still has work to do.