Upbeat Ferrari are ‘not satisfied’ despite show of speed at Canadian Grand Prix

Ferrari failed to finish on the Formula One podium for the first time this season in Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix but still found positives in the performance.

Team principal Maurizio Arrivabene said it was clear an engine upgrade had delivered, even if champions Mercedes dominated the race and their drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel could only finish in fourth and fifth places.

“If you look at the pace of Seb (Vettel) during the race, it’s quite clear we were there,” Arrivabene said. “So I think in terms of performance it’s fine.

“But when you get points but not the podium you cannot say you are satisfied.”

Arrivabene said the upgrade had given the team “the positive answer that we were asking for” but circumstances had not allowed the sport’s oldest and most successful team to make the most of it at a circuit that rewards engine power.

“It’s a long way to go. We need to recognise that at the moment they (Mercedes) are stronger than us without thinking that we closed the gap so we can beat them every race,” the Italian said. “This is not realistic.

“But the answer that we got during this weekend, especially with the race of Seb, was quite good.”

Mercedes-GP motorsport director Toto Wolff, whose drivers finished one-two for the fourth time in seven races this season, said the setbacks had masked the gains Ferrari had made and warned against complacency.

“I think we must not underestimate the (engine) upgrade they have brought because we have seen a very strong pace on the Friday,” he said. “My assumption is that we haven’t seen the best of Ferrari.”