Ferrari record lamented - 'Something always happens to them'

Former McLaren team coordinator Jo Ramírez has lamented the constant failings at Ferrari that continue to cost the team

Ferrari endured a difficult Bahrain Grand Prix with Charles Leclerc retiring from third due to an engine failure as Carlos Sainz limped home to fourth - the Spaniard suffering with high levels of tyres degradation throughout.

This came after a disappointing 2022 season that saw Ferrari drop vast amounts of points through reliability and strategic mishaps.

In contrast, Red Bull enjoyed a crushingly dominant performance with Max Verstappen the runaway winner while Sergio Perez completed a first one-two finish for the team at a season-opening race.

Asked which team could establish itself in second position behind Red Bull, Ramírez told AS.com: "It should be Ferrari because they are fast and with a good engine but they always have some reliability or strategy error.

"Something always happens to them but if they solve it they will be behind Red Bull."

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Don't write off Mercedes

Suffering an even worse weekend than Ferrari was Mercedes. Although the Silver Arrows sit four points and one place clear of the Italian manufacturer in the standings, both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell struggled for pace.

This was highlighted by Hamilton's 50-second deficit to Verstappen at the chequered flag, an outcome that forced team principal Toto Wolff to concede the team had 'got it wrong' with the W14 and promise 'radical' changes.

Far from writing the eight-time consecutive constructors' champions off, however, Ramírez added: "We must not forget Mercedes either, even though they are not well now.

"It is a team with such a powerful structure and such quality in its drivers that in four or five races we will see them higher up for sure."

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