Ferrari has stressed that it is not giving up on its 2019 Formula 1 challenger, stressing that whatever it can understand will benefit the team next year due to stable regulations.
Ferrari has yet to take a grand prix win this season and its title prospects are remote, trailing Mercedes by 150 points, while lead driver Sebastian Vettel is 94 adrift of Lewis Hamilton.
Ferrari’s struggles have been most pronounced at high downforce events, such as Spain, France and Hungary, with its SF90 substantially off the pace.
“First I think we are lacking maximum downforce, and obviously there are circuits where we are not running to the maximum downforce configurations, so in that case it will be different,” said team boss Mattia Binotto.
“Certainly we are seeking more downforce already on this current season.
“In the second half of the season we will try and put whatever max downforce we can put on the car and the car next year will require even more.
“[But] I don’t think that our only weakness is the maximum downforce. I think it will be unfair as well for the people back at Maranello.
“Should we concentrate on next year’s car? I don’t think so. Not only, because having the same regulations next year whatever we can do this year will be a good benefit for next year’s car as well.
“There are still many races, no victory for Ferrari, so I think we have a goal and a target and I think we should do whatever we can to finish this season to do our best.”
Ferrari’s SF90 is expected to be more suited to upcoming events in Belgium and Italy, but Binotto has warned that Ferrari cannot underestimate the strength of its opponents.
“I think it’s more power-sensitive so we should certainly be more sensitive there but there is nothing that is given,” said Binotto of the next events.
“I think our competitors are all very strong and we try to challenge ourselves.
“I think the situation will be different to Budapest and we will try to prepare ourselves the best to seek the first victory.”
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