It’d be easy to affirm that Mercedes has wrested back the ascendancy following their second consecutive victory, though Ferrari must not enter its time honoured panic state, with circumstance dictating the outcome once more at the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Silver Arrows’ three victories to the Prancing Horse’s two at ‘quarter time’ is an arbitrary figure, with results belying the true order, and to that end, leaving rivals in their collective wake, as attested to the entire field sans distant third place getter, Daniel Ricciardo, being lapped on Sunday.
As at China, Mercedes weren’t explicitly handed a free pass upon the virtual safety car’s deployment at mid-distance, rather they optimised the situation to full effect while Ferrari took a small though decisive misstep. This was all the invitation necessary for pole sitter Lewis Hamilton to strike, claiming game and set, yet unlike years past, the match remains very much in play.
The bevy of upgrades which accompanied the Mercedes freight to Barcelona had a large hand in the outcome, most prominently restoring its qualifying advantage while honing its straight line edge. “I was a bit lucky because there was always a car in front giving me a tow, but as soon as I was alone, he just flew past”, confided Sebastian Vettel, who led the majority of the opening two-thirds of the race having lined up second, until being deposed for the lead on lap 44.
Considering Vettel’s early charge into the distance, not for the first time this season, it’s difficult to distinguish how different the result might have been in lieu of the VSC, while the notion that Vettel remained within earshot of the Briton following his demotion to second, being beaten to the punch shouldn’t deter Ferrari from its current trajectory.
Continuing to shun last season’s reactive approach by calling Vettel in early didn’t appear to be the right call in hindsight, losing crucial time behind Valtteri Bottas who would later retire, with a third stop on the table until the closing laps, and the decision not to stop while the VSC remained in effect was even costlier, though outright race pace remains marginally superior to the Brackley outfit.
(Photo: GEPA pictures/ Daniel Goetzhaber)
Victorious Hamilton, who appeared physically drained post-race, described it as “the rawest fight I can remember having for some time, which I loved”, which speaks to the volume of Ferrari’s resurgence in causing Mercedes pitwall genuine headaches on a constant basis, wholly earning the victories which fell like lemons in the previous three campaigns.
It mustn’t be forgotten that the German retains his lead in the standings on account of his consistency, finishing no lower than second at the opening five events, and if nothing else, issues which forced him to switch power unit components prior to qualifying rendered his third runner-up haul damage limitation.
Demonstrating that victory at Australia, and contention at the least, was not isolated at subsequent weekends, the indifference of 2016 has been replaced by a surer Ferrari which is in control of its destiny and willing to invest in decisions, which with a little luck could have fallen in its favour, rather than the ambivalence which denied several victory opportunities in the previous twelve months.
It’s tough to fathom Vettel – who has repeatedly stated that more was learned than on-track performances suggested last season, abruptly walking away from the lure of a successful future and into Mercedes’ arms, as some reports suggest, while Kimi Räikkönen’s unfortunate opening lap demise has consolidated the 29-year-old’s standing as the title focus.
While the gulf from Mercedes to the third fastest outfit and beyond remains largely intact from previous seasons, they now count on Ferrari for company and it’s impossible to determine in which order, though most pertinently who will emerge so long as the latter remains true to the cause.
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