Arrivabene says Ferrari must increase downforce

Aug.1 (GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene has admitted that Ferrari needs to rev up its progress when it comes to aerodynamics.

With James Allison gone, Sebastian Vettel now openly questioning the team's race strategies and Red Bull having clearly raced ahead, the Italian press thinks Ferrari's 'crisis' is only deepening.

Boss Arrivabene admitted after the German GP that there is "no question" Red Bull has made better progress in the first half of the season.

But when asked about Allison's departure, he insisted: "For personal reasons, I don't want to talk about James.

"We are doing our reorganisation without panic as we know exactly what we need to do. And we know exactly the areas of the car that we have to improve.

"Since Barcelona we have made little progress in terms of downforce -- the engine is not my main concern," the Italian added. "Now the work will stop for the summer break, but then we have to go full throttle."

Former Ferrari champion Niki Lauda, however, thinks Allison's exit is more alarming than that for the Maranello team.

"In the middle of the season, such a prominent position changing is not good news and only brings confusion and discussion, particularly with Ferrari," the Mercedes team chairman told Welt newspaper at Hockenheim.

But Vettel, despite openly questioning his race strategy on the radio on Sunday, said Ferrari's situation cannot be compared to the reasons that Fernando Alonso decided to leave the team in 2014.

"I don't know because I don't know how he felt," the German is quoted by AS newspaper, "but I think the team spirit now is very high.

"Obviously last year was a good year, this one is going a little worse than we expected but we are here to fight -- there is no reason to start getting frustrated now."