2
James Allison has hailed Ferrari's return to winning form but vowed to hit back at his former employer. The highly respected engineer ended his stint as Ferrari's technical director last year amid tragedy and acrimony, switching to Mercedes for 2017 to run the title-winning UK-based team's technical division.
But with Ferrari now relying on his successor Mattia Binotto and a team of mainly young Italian engineers, Briton Allison had to watch the red outfit return to winning form in Australia from the Mercedes pitwall. "We have to pay tribute to Ferrari who have a very quick car," Allison told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport. "In Australia we were not able to keep up. If it was not clear after qualifying, it was understood after the race that this will be a season played out over small differences," he added.
However, Allison is confident he can help Mercedes to regain its dominant place at the top of the pecking order. "We don't panic," said the Briton. "It was only the first race in a long season and we still put two cars on the podium. So we are determined to turn those little differences in our favour at the next opportunity." Asked how Ferrari managed to put its nose in front with Sebastian Vettel in Melbourne, Allison answered: "They put us under pressure right from the start and that's how we lost."
There was also the crucial timing of Lewis Hamilton's pitstop, with Allison admitting: "We thought the tyres would not last, and we feared a change of strategy by Seb, so we took the risk of making a pitstop and putting him behind. Ferrari took advantage of its opportunity very well," he added. (GMM)
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
M. Verstappen
C. Sainz jr
C. Leclerc
Bahrain
United Arab Emirates
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
Australia
Albert Park
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
Monaco
Monte Carlo
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Austria
Red Bull Ring
United Kingdom
Silverstone
Hungary
Hungaroring
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Italy
Monza
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Brazil
Interlagos
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
470,530 comments on Mercedes
66 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Lewis Hamilton
615,584 comments on Mercedes 57 members have this team as their favourite Tweets about Mercedes
Replies (2)
Login to replycalle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Oh, no, there is no reason for you to strain yourselves, Mercedes. No, really, do sit back for a while and relax, it must've been three strenious seasons for you, and I can imagine you need a good rest. Dont worry about us, we will be fine.
mclarenfan1968
Posts: 1,027
Allison leaves and the press were talking about how Ferrari are going to fall further behind. Thing is it never is about Allison or Newey or any one man or woman. It's the team of engineers, if that isn't working well together no super star engineer is going to change anything in terms of productivity. If Ferrari keeps performing this way Allison's stock is going to go down in the eyes of the ignorant public because of this super star effect, it would be implied that he left == Ferrari improvement.