F1 News

Alfa looking to stop big issue with mistakes in 2020

Alfa looking to stop "big issue" with mistakes in 2020

16-11-2019 12:10

Alfa Romeo boss Frederic Vasseur says that his team need to stop making so many mistakes in 2019 if they are to build on their potential and fight for points more regularly. The team has struggled massively since the summer break, only scoring three points since and have been cut adrift of the Racing Point and Toro Rosso in their midfield battle.

The recently renamed Italian team had a terrific start to the season, with veteran Kimi Raikkonen scoring in the first four races as it looked like Alfa could fight at the sharp end of the midfield, but inconsistencies have led them to be stranded in P8 in the constructors' standings.

Vasseur knows the team has the potential to do better, but they need to focus on ironing out any mistakes.

He said in the pre-Brazilian GP press conference: "The plan is to do a better job next year for sure. We started pretty well this season, we were P4 after five or six races and then we started to have an issue.

"Different issues, not always the same, but we didn’t score a point in the second part of the season – or one or two points – but it’s not an issue always with the pace and, at the end of the day, we are doing too many mistakes collectively and this is the big issue."

Raikkonen will once again be joined next season by Antonio Giovinazzi, who has impressed enough to earn a seat again next year.

On the Italian, Vasseur said: "I think he did a very strong second part of the season, he improved a lot. He is now matching Kimi in quali and I think the issue is not on the driver side. We have to stay focussed on this and keep a consistent line-up, and it will be the best thing to do."