Back to the Auto Racing Newsfeed

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne says driver error played a role in F1 title failures

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne says his team's defeat to Mercedes in both Formula One world championships was the result of a combination of technical issues and driver error.

Following an aerodynamic regulation overhaul during the winter, the Scuderia made a strong start to the season and looked on course to challenge for its first title in eight years as Sebastian Vettel led the drivers' standings for much of 2017, while three victories in the opening six races also handed Ferrari the lead in the constructors' championship after Monaco.

But a resurgence in form from Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes after the summer break, coupled with a disastrous string of results across the three Asian flyaways in Singapore, Malaysia and Japan, put a severe dent in Vettel's hopes of securing a fifth world championship.