26/11/2020
NEWS STORY
With three races remaining, Ferrari - 16 time champion constructor and 15 time team of the champion driver - is currently sixth in the standings.
24 points down on third-place Racing Point, the Maranello outfit is one of four teams battling for the best of the rest slot.
Of those four teams, Ferrari has done best over the course of the last three races, scoring 50 points to Racing Point's 34, McLaren's 33 and Renault's 22.
As the Italian outfit prepares for the final triple header, sporting director, Laurent Mekies reveals the mood within the team.
"It will be an unusual end to a very unusual season which was a very tough one for us," he says. "Our aim is to carry on making up ground in terms of our performance when compared to those teams we are fighting with this year and that has been on-going for the last five races now".
Asked about the problems a triple-header throws up, especially one outside Europe, he says: "Our first priority is the health of the team, which is an area where you must never lower your guard. We have to ensure that everyone is in good shape given the strain of having already had 14 races in four months.
"I feel that the support of those working back in Maranello will be vital in helping those at the track. Every little detail that can help improve our performance will be important so as to finish this season on a high and to fine tune our working methods, making them more efficient for next year.
"There's no denying it's been really tough," he admits in terms of the demands this strange season has placed on the team. "The situation created by the pandemic and the fact our performance was poor at the start of the season made life difficult. But everything we have been through has made us stronger, we have not lost our bearings, we never gave up and we always wanted to fight back and improve.
"I would praise the men and women in the race team for their resilience and the spirit they showed in such difficult times, as well as their families who played a vital role. I would also like to thank the fans who have always been there with us, mainly in spirit as, in most cases they were not allowed to attend the races."
Asked if the team has taken any special measure in terms of training, he says: "Yes, we have a tailor-made plan for those who travel to races in terms of their medical, nutritional and physical wellbeing. Although the restrictions caused by the pandemic have made life complicated, we have not reduced our efforts in this year, quite the opposite. The health and wellbeing of our people is vital, especially in light of the increased physical and mental stress we have faced this season. And specifically, we have arranged a fitness programme for these last three races."
Check out our Thursday gallery from Bahrain, here.