Sebastian Vettel claims the 2020 Ferrari is "a different car" thanks to the fast-tracked upgrades brought for the Styrian Grand Prix.
After a miserable first race weekend in Austria, which highlighted the lack of pace from the SF1000, the Scuderia took immediate action by bringing some of the aerodynamic parts originally planned for the Hungarian GP to the Red Bull Ring.
On the timesheets though, it appeared as if little had changed with Charles Leclerc only ninth and Vettel down in 16th, but the German wasn't concerned.
“All day it was straight away a different car and then I was just able to get at it,” he said in the paddock.
“It is not really possible to compare the two [weeks] because there was such a big difference and now obviously I hope it stays like this.
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“If you look at the timing sheet obviously I got the lap deleted and it was not a great day for lap times but I think some people anticipated maybe rain tomorrow and prepared in case it rains for qualifying.
“I think on our side the main thing was to look after the upgrade we brought so step by step we were putting stuff on and it seems to be positive.
“I think we still need to have a look and now find the window where the car is happiest," Vettel acknowledged.
“We tried some stuff so we have the usual homework and I tried a lot of stuff on the brakes, still need to get into a better rhythm, especially after the last weekend, but I felt a lot better already.”
Leclerc too was upbeat, revealing he was learning more and more about the car with each lap, and with the prospect of a wet qualifying on Saturday, Vettel hopes to capitalise.
“Wet would increase our chances, let’s see," he said. "If it is so wet that nobody can drive it’s too wet but I think if it’s wet it could mix things up.”
