Niki Lauda: "Ferrari easy to beat when emotional"

  • Published on 23 Oct 2017 15:39
  • comments 4
  • By: Rob Veenstra

Ferrari is "easy to beat" when emotions are running high at the Italian team. That is the view of Niki Lauda, a former Ferrari driver who is now the team chairman at the Maranello marque's arch-rival Mercedes.

Despite an earlier strong challenge, Sebastian Vettel's 2017 title campaign fell apart recently amid car failures, and new rumours team Maurizio Arrivabene could be sacked as a direct consequence. But Lauda said that sort of chaos would simply show that Ferrari is falling back into bad old habits.

"Ferrari is hard to beat when there is inner peace and trust in their own performance," he told the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag in Austin. "But they are easy to beat when they stand in their own way with performance pressure, high expectations and when people are emotional and insecure," Lauda added.

Mercedes beat Ferrari to the 2017 constructors' world championship on Sunday. Lewis Hamilton needs only to finish fifth in Mexico this weekend to win his fourth drivers' crown. (GMM)

Translated "Ferrari are easy to beat because our engine is so much better and the FIA allow us to cheat and burn more oil than anyone else"

  • 2
  • Oct 23 2017 - 18:05

Replies (4)

Login to reply
  • Ferrari is easier to beat, if they don't have performance.

    • + 0
    • Oct 23 2017 - 17:39
  • Translated "Ferrari are easy to beat because our engine is so much better and the FIA allow us to cheat and burn more oil than anyone else"

    • + 2
    • Oct 23 2017 - 18:05
  • A lot of butthurt people here... Ferrari's problem was not performance but reliability and Vettel. Period.

    • + 0
    • Oct 23 2017 - 18:49
    • It isnt about being butthurt, its about being understandably mad about an unfair advantage. Reliability wasnt really a factor in this race, so lets ignore it for now. Likewise, Vettel didnt really drive badly this race, if anything we should poke a bit on Kimi. Driving one of the better cars but losing places immediately on start is a bit meh, and I expect more from him.

      There is no denying that Mercedes benefit from burning oil. It enhances both reliability and power so significantly that rules against the practice was set up. And for silly reasons, the FIA allowed Mercedes, the guys who has benefitted the most from it (remember, this isnt their first season of doing it), to continue burning oil, while their closest rival had to choose between upgrading their unit or burning oil. Not only is that unfair, its dismal.

      • + 0
      • Oct 24 2017 - 12:04

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2 2024
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9 2024
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24 2024
Australia
5 - Apr 7 2024
Japan
19 - Apr 21 2024
China
3 - May 5 2024
United States of America
17 - May 19 2024
Italy
24 - May 26 2024
Monaco
7 - Jun 9 2024
Canada
21 - Jun 23 2024
Spain
28 - Jun 30 2024
Austria
5 - Jul 7 2024
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21 2024
Hungary
26 - Jul 28 2024
Belgium
23 - Aug 25 2024
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1 2024
Italy
13 - Sep 15 2024
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22 2024
Singapore
18 - Oct 20 2024
United States of America
25 - Oct 27 2024
Mexico
1 - Nov 3 2024
Brazil
22 - Nov 24 2024
United States of America
29 - Dec 1 2024
Qatar
6 - Dec 8 2024
United Arab Emirates
-
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2 2024
7 - Mar 9 2024
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24 2024
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7 2024
19 - Apr 21 2024
3 - May 5 2024
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19 2024
24 - May 26 2024
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9 2024
21 - Jun 23 2024
28 - Jun 30 2024
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7 2024
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21 2024
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28 2024
23 - Aug 25 2024
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1 2024
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15 2024
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22 2024
18 - Oct 20 2024
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27 2024
1 - Nov 3 2024
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24 2024
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1 2024
6 - Dec 8 2024
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
-
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Mercedes
  • Points 3,377
  • Podiums 132
  • Grand Prix 208
  • Country GB
  • Date of b. Jan 7 1985 (40)
  • Place of b. Tewin, GB
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.74 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar