Ferrari is struggling to maximise their potential because winning has not become a natural “habit”, team boss Maurizio Arrivabene has claimed.
For the second straight year, the Scuderia took the fight to Mercedes and even moved ahead in the performance rankings for a period during the summer thanks to big gains with the engine.
Much like 2017, however, their challenge would falter after the mid-season break with a number of errors by both the team and Sebastian Vettel, allowing Lewis Hamilton to secure his fifth title.
“There are areas where we are superior, others where they are, but I think we still lack the habit of winning,” Arrivabene said during the Finali Mondiali event last weekend at Monza.
“For them to have a 1-2 is almost ordinary. For us, it is still an exceptional event. We must be more aware of our means and not be afraid of winning.
“In tennis they call it ‘il braccino’: the fear of winning that comes when you are close to the goal. We must trust ourselves, and make the victory a good habit.”
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Something that the Ferrari boss has also criticised is the scrutiny and speculation constantly surrounding the Italian team and Arrivabene conceded that culture has leaked within the Maranello squad.
“There was a moment [in 2018] when we were a phenomena, then a phase in which the finger was pointed at the driver, and finally followed by a period where the car was the target,” he explained.
“In the end, we understood even more that we win and we lose altogether. There were mistakes from Vettel and to a lesser extent from the team, but the lesson we have understood is that you do not need to point the finger at someone.
“When things go wrong I’m here and I’ve always said it. But when it’s all right, my satisfaction is to go under the podium, sing the anthem and applaud.
“Once, maybe I will also get on the podium, but there is a long list of people who deserve to go there before me.”