Vettel and Raikkonen subdued after difficult day for Ferrari

MONTREAL: Sebastian Vettel and his Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen were subdued after finishing fifth and second respectively at the end of Friday’s practice for the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix.

Both reported that it had been a tough day in the sunshine at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve where Dutchman Max Verstappen set the pace for Red Bull, topping the times in both sessions.

“We have a lot of work to do, I think,” said Vettel, the four-time champion German who is 14 points behind defending four-time champion Briton Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes in this year’s title race.

“We are not there yet and we need a little more time to get it all together, but I expect we will be there tomorrow (Saturday for qualifying). It will be very close again.”

Raikkonen was only one-tenth of a second off the pace set by Verstappen, but said it was an uncomfortable day’s work.

“It was not the happiest of days for me,” he said. “We improved during the day, but it was not easy and we have had easier days than this!

“It was not perfect from the start and that is a problem because you kind of expect it here. It’s quite tricky here with all the bumps and the curves and, on low down-force, it can feel very difficult.”

It was also a measure of Ferrari’s loss of poise and momentum that their mechanics turned down their chance to take part in the annual home-made raft race at the circuit.

The teams contest a race with their own rafts, built from parts found in the garages, across the rowing lake on the island that hosts the circuit, but Ferrari said they would not take part because they needed to go back and rest in their hotel.