Ferrari in danger of being overtaken by Red Bull as performance issues continue

Ferrari has a fight on its hands. Just not the one it wants. What was meant to be a battle for the title with Mercedes has become more of a battle to stay relevant. Chaos has overtaken.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 12: Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving the (16) Scuderia Ferrari SF90 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on May 12, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images)

Ferrari has a fight on its hands. Just not the one it wants.

Red Bull is threatening to replace it as Formula One’s next-best team behind a dominant Mercedes after Max Verstappen outperformedFerrari’s drivers at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Verstappen took third place on Sunday behind race winner Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.

That allowed the Red Bull driver to move past Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel into third place overall with 66 points to Vettel’s64. Hamilton and Bottas are far in front with 112 and 105 points, respectively.

“I knew we could take the fight to Ferrari,” Verstappen said after being cheered by the large number of Dutch fans who hadcome to the race decked in orange T-shirts.

Verstappen and his supporters have good memories of the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit. His win here in 2016 made him F1’s youngest race winner at age 18. While another victory was out of the question given Mercedes’ pace, Verstappen didn’t havetoo much trouble staying in front of the Ferraris. “We were close to Ferrari in qualifying,” he said. “I am happy to be backon the podium and third in the championship. It is good to close the gap.” As F1’s most successful team, Ferrari entered the season with renewed hopes of challenging Mercedes after rising talent CharlesLeclerc joined Vettel in a potentially potent driving lineup.

Ferrari was faster on this same track during two weeks of preseason testing this winter and had brought in a new engine forthe race.

Strategy at Ferrari has been questioned in the last three races

But Mercedes was unfazed and stormed to a fifth one-two finish in as many races to further demoralize its rivals.

Vettel tried to get the jump on the Mercedes at the race start from third on the grid.

But the move only succeeded in making Bottas flinch and letting Hamilton go clear. After Vettel’s tires locked up, Verstappenslipped past into third place. Even though there are 16 races left, it looks like Ferrari will likely have to wait anotheryear to end its constructors title drought that dates back to 2008. “The updates we brought here to Barcelona, both on theaero front and on the engine, worked well and we are more than pleased with them, but they proved to be insufficient,” saidFerrari team principal Mattia Binotto. “Now we have to analyze and think about what did not work. And when it comes to that,as of today I don’t think we have a precise answer.” As for Hamilton, he said he had taken notice of improvements that RedBull had made after switching to a Honda engine this season.

The defending champion also said he missed a better effort from Ferrari. “We welcome a battle and it would be great to fightwith Ferrari and Red Bull,” said Hamiton. “I prefer it when they are in the mix with us. It is much better when we can competewith another team.”

Charles Leclerc in Spain

SPANISH GRAND PRIX RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1hr 35min 49.780sec,

2. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) at 4.074sec

3. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull-Honda) 7.679

4. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) 9.167

5. Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 13.361

6. Pierre Gasly (FRA/Red Bull-Honda) 19.576

7. Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari) 28.159

8. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/McLaren-Renault) 32.342

9. Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso-Honda) 33.056

10. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas-Ferrari) 34.641

11. Alexander Albon (THA/Toro Rosso-Honda) 35.445

12. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Renault) 36.758

13. Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Renault) 39.241

14. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN/Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 41.803

15. Sergio Pérez (MEX/Racing Point-Mercedes) 46.877

16. Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA/Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 47.691

17. George Russell (GBR/Williams-Mercedes) 1 lap

18. Robert Kubica (POL/Williams-Mercedes) 1 lap

Fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:18.492 on 54th lap

DID NOT FINISH: Lance Stroll (CAN/Racing Point-Mercedes), Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Renault)

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP

1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 112 points

2. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) 105

3. Max Verstappen (NED) 66

4. Sebastian Vettel (GER) 64

5. Charles Leclerc (MON) 57

6. Pierre Gasly (FRA) 21

7. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) 14

8. Sergio Pérez (MEX) 13

9. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN) 13

10. Lando Norris (GBR) 12

11. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) 10

12. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) 6

13. Nico Hülkenberg (GER) 6

14. Lance Stroll (CAN) 4

15. Alexander Albon (THA) 3

16. Daniil Kvyat (RUS) 3

17. Romain Grosjean (FRA) 1

CONSTRUCTORS

1. Mercedes 217

2. Ferrari 121

3. Red Bull-Honda 87

4. McLaren-Renault 22

5. Racing Point-Mercedes 17

6. Haas-Ferrari 15

7. Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari 13

8. Renault 12

9. Toro Rosso-Honda 6