What makes Ferrari 'special' in F1? Sporting director has his say

Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies feels what makes the team special is that it always garners attention from the fans. It is this attention that has put the Scuderia under the pump for its glaring errors during races so far this season.

While admitting the team's mistakes, Mekies believes there is sometimes too much focus on Ferrari. When the team performs well, it receives more applause than usual, and when things do not go well, it is a target of criticism. He said:

“You get a lot of interest as Ferrari in general and, yes, sometimes you probably get also a lot more criticism for given actions. But I think, if you put all of that together, it’s also what makes Ferrari special. So, we take some of the downsides with a smile and we are conscious of our responsibilities, we are conscious of what the tifosi, and perhaps more, are expecting from us and we need to continue working hard and making small steps that will make us stronger.”

Mekies revealed that the team was in good spirits despite all that had happened this season. The Frenchman also admitted that there have been a few 'stress tests' for the team throughout the season so far, but team principal Mattia Binotto and drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have remained committed. He said:

“You would expect me to say that but it’s a simple truth. The team is incredibly united. We have had quite a few stress tests, but Mattia, Charles, and Carlos – they are incredible leaders and they are 100% committed in their heart, especially to making sure that everybody keeps pulling in the same direction.”

Mekies also focussed on how Ferrari still had people pulling in the same direction and looking to improve, saying:

“Of course, we have had very difficult moments, but you will see that people are pulling in the same direction, that they are trying to help each other and they can’t wait to get the next opportunity to progress and to be stronger together.”

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We've made great steps forward with a faster car: Ferrari

Laurent Mekies admitted that the Scuderia has had its fair share of ups and downs this season. The team has won races and lost a few of them as well. Having said that, comparing the current team to the one from last season, it's evident that there has been significant progress. He said:

“If you look at Sundays, we’ve had a few races where we didn’t have the right pace, but it was not the majority of them. We have had a few reliability issues, and we have made a few mistakes. If you add all of that, it’s simply telling us that we’ve made great steps forward this year with a faster car, but we need more work to do to be stronger all around and that’s what we are working on. It’s not the quickest thing to do. But we are, in the same way that we got where we are, trying to have the same approach to get the next steps that we still need.”

Ferrari did have the fastest car in multiple races this season. A mixture of poor reliability as well as shoddy strategic calls, however, meant the team finds itself almost out of championship contention this season.