Vettel: Marchionne always pressured us!

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel has honoured the late Sergio Marchionne during the FIA Prize Giving Gala, saying that the former CEO always put pressure on everyone to perform better. 

The news of Marchionne's sudden passing came right before the Hungary Grand Prix, which is why the Italian team didn't speak to the press during that Grand Prix weekend. 

Oddly enough, the form of Ferrari took a tumble later-on in the season, something many people link to the passing of the Italian-Canadian businessman. Vettel, for one, acknowledged that the loss of the CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles was impactful on everyone at Ferrari.

“Certainly it was a big loss," the German said at the gala in Saint-Petersburg.

"Obviously the day to day business continued, I think people knew what was their job and knew what to do.

“It wasn’t easy for us and I think we tried to continue in the best way we could and tried to do our job. I think that’s what he would have liked to see.

“He was always giving us a lot of pressure but also there to help us and guide us, so it was a big loss but as a team we tried to respond and continue respecting him and his legacy and that’s what we’ll try to do going forward.”

A big loss, not just for Ferrari, but for Formula 1 as a whole.