Marchionne calls for Ferrari concentration after Bahrain GP win

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne has called for the Scuderia to maintain a “high level of concentration and diligence” in the wake of its Bahrain Grand Prix victory.

Sebastian Vettel turned in a superb drive to convert pole position into the win in his 200th Formula 1 race, holding off a late charge from Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas, despite running on much older Pirelli rubber compared to the Finn. 

Marchionne praised his team’s consistent performance across the Bahrain weekend, and turned his thoughts to Ferrari mechanic Fransesco Cigarini, who is recovering from a broken leg after being hit by Kimi Raikkonen’s car following a botched pit stop. 

"First and foremost, I wish our mechanic a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on track soon," Marchionne said in a Ferrari statement on Sunday evening.

"The team performed consistently all weekend and we were front runners right from the start of practice. It was a difficult race and Sebastian drove like a true champion. I am sorry for Kimi who could certainly have finished on the podium.”

But Marchionne remains wary of the threat posed by chief rivals Mercedes, particularly after Ferrari lost out to the Silver Arrows in both world championships in 2017 despite leading the title race for the majority of the season. 

"This Grand Prix confirms that the Scuderia has a great car, a solid team and two drivers on top form. But it also showed how close things are between us and our rivals, who are very strong,” he continued. 

"That’s why, at the risk of repeating myself, it’s worth pointing out that there is still a long way to go and we have to maintain a high level of concentration, continuing to work diligently and with passion, which is something we are well capable of.

"It’s the only way we can give our fans other equally satisfying Sundays."