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The Ferrari team reflects on a disappointing start to the season. After ten Grand Prix races, the Scuderia is languishing in a meagre third place in the constructors’ championship. Moreover, the team has never managed to progress beyond third place. Meanwhile, in Maranello, a feverish search is underway for solutions to this slump in form. According to former champion Nico Rosberg, Ferrari is even considering establishing a new base in the United Kingdom, the cradle of Formula 1 technology.
What is particularly noticeable this year is the lack of performance from Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion was brought into Ferrari this year amidst much fanfare. The Italian media and the tifosi welcomed him with appropriate triumph, but after ten races, the British star has not achieved a single podium – a low point in his long career. So far, he appears uncomfortable within his new team environment; after years at McLaren and Mercedes, where he was accustomed to a typically British way of working, he is struggling to adapt to the Italian culture within Ferrari.
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Higher Standards in England
Former teammate and ex-world champion Nico Rosberg identifies this as one of the causes of the current crisis at Ferrari. “I’ve seen a bit of how things work in Maranello, and you notice that the level there is incomparable to that of the excellent British teams,” he explained to Sky Sports. “Especially when you look at a team like Mercedes. Whether it’s marketing or other departments, the Italian culture makes everything much more complicated for him.”
According to Rosberg, this also translates to the track. “If there was something bothering Lewis at Mercedes, he would just go to Toto Wolff,” said the German. “He would make a decision immediately, and that would be the end of it. At Ferrari, there are so many different people who have a say, that Lewis sometimes doesn’t know who to turn to.” Finally, Rosberg revealed that Ferrari is considering drastic measures for this reason: “I’ve heard a few rumors. Apparently, Ferrari is exploring the possibility of setting up a sort of subsidiary in the United Kingdom, because the structure there is much better suited to Formula 1.”
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