MARCH 9, 2020

Ecclestone says 2020 Ferrari not good

Hopes are high that Red Bull can pose a challenge to Mercedes in 2020.

Hopes are high that Red Bull can pose a challenge to Mercedes in 2020.

What is clear after winter testing is that Mercedes remains at the front, while Ferrari is struggling.

"The (Ferrari) car is obviously not good," former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone told Blick newspaper.

"But like millions of fans of the red cars, I hope I am surprised."

Some think Ferrari's 2020 car is still strong on the so-called 'long runs'.

"Ferrari is obliged of course to be in the top three," Dutch GP boss Jan Lammers told NOS, "but they did not show that in Barcelona.

"But I think we can assume that they will be there in Australia."

However, Ferrari may in fact be falling into the top of the highly competitive midfield pack.

"We now have the pink Mercedes (Racing Point)," Lammers said. "The battle for third can be tight. I think that Renault and McLaren can also be there."

As for Red Bull, Lammers thinks Max Verstappen may be about to start what could ultimately turn into his first successful world championship campaign.

"Red Bull got through its schedule in Barcelona and my intuition is that they are in better shape than we think," he said.

"I think Mercedes will find out how difficult it is to get seven world titles. The year of Red Bull and Max Verstappen may now be beginning."

(GMM)