A red streak blazed across the Sochi asphalt and implanted itself right at the heart of Lewis Hamilton’s world championship dreams.
Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari was the machine carrying the alert, one that emerged at the first race of the season in Melbourne, but which yesterday became emphatically clear in qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix: Mercedes’ era of total superiority is over.
‘Yes, yes, yes,’ chimed a delighted Vettel over the radio, after an impressive final flying lap for pole position.
And so, after 18 consecutive poles for the Silver Arrows drivers, here came only Ferrari’s sixth of the decade. With Kimi Raikkonen second quickest, the Scuderia locked out the front row for the first time since France in 2008. As for Hamilton, he was only fourth quickest, nearly six-tenths off the pace, and almost half a second behind his team-mate Valtteri Bottas, third fastest on the day.
A few hours later Hamilton was still downcast, stirring the froth of his coffee as he faced the press with little positive to say. ‘It’s just one of those weekends,’ he said resignedly. He bemoaned a weak rear end and lamented losing pace around turns 13 and 14.
He gave himself little chance of making amends today in a race that will take place in front of President Putin. The balance of his car would not permit him to go flat-out from the start, he feared.
While Hamilton’s analysis focused on the nitty-gritty of the weekend’s action, his boss Toto Wolff placed Ferrari’s resurgence into context, as the possible turning of a tide. ‘It was clear this question would come up,’ he said.
‘We have won 52 races in three seasons. And we always knew that at a certain stage it would change. We are excited by the challenge and embrace it.
‘Ferrari have done a very good job over the winter. Now we need to be vigorous and analyse what is missing, join the dots and out-develop Ferrari throughout the season.
MORE HERE: Sebastian Vettel’s red dread for Lewis Hamilton | Daily Mail Online
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