Formula 1 chief Ross Brawn believes Ferrari’s drop in performance at the Belgian Grand Prix cannot be attributed to its engine alone.
Ferrari endured its worst performance in over a decade at Spa-Francorchamps as it failed to make Q3 and did not score a single point.
Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc finished 13th and 14th respectively, 70 seconds behind race winner Lewis Hamilton, at a venue where they triumphed in 2018 and 2019.
Ferrari even finished behind customer team Alfa Romeo while Leclerc only marginally bested Haas’ Romain Grosjean.
Ferrari has struggled for performance this year, in the wake of reaching a private settlement with the FIA over its engine, but Spa-Francorchamps marked a new low in terms of overall pace.
“I’ve been in a situation like Ferrari have found themselves in at Spa, where you don’t get tyres to work, the temperature doesn’t come and the drop off in performance is dramatic,” said Brawn in his post-race media debrief.
“Regardless of what people say about the deficit they may have with the engine following the technical clarifications, you don’t lose 1.3s per lap from one year to next in that metric alone.
“They just couldn’t get the tyres in the zone. The fact it was colder at Spa, would not have helped either.
“When that happens, the performance drops off and looks horrific. If they can make that step and get the tyres working properly again, I think the performance will snap back in.
“They still won’t look race-winning, but it will become more respectable.”
Ferrari is on course for its worst classification in 40 years in Formula 1, holding only fifth in the standings, a mere two points clear of Renault.
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