Sebastian Vettel was at a loss to explain why Ferrari was so far off the pace of Mercedes during qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.
In final practice Vettel was just 0.147s off the fastest time set by Nico Rosberg, but when it mattered in qualifying both Ferraris were over a second off the pace. Vettel suspects there was a specific problem with the car in those conditions but the team had not been able to pinpoint it when he talked to the press.
"I don't think it was a general lack of speed," he said. "I think we proved in all the sessions so far that we are quite competitive, so it was as a surprise to us as it was to you.
"We don't yet understand but I'm sure there is a reason for it. Yes the conditions changed but I think that something made us fall out of the window and we lost quite a lot of competitiveness in comparison."
Ferrari qualified fifth and sixth behind the two Red Bulls, but Vettel does not think it is the start of a trend.
"Well today they were [quicker] yes, I don't think they are in general. I think we are quicker than them but for sure today in these circumstances yes we didn't have a great day.
"I think it was more us not performing than Mercedes or Red Bull being better. Also if you look behind people weren't closer to us than in practice."
He also denied suggestions that Ferrari is falling behind in the development race with Mercedes.
"I think we have a certain plan. Obviously we would have loved to have started a little closer to our competitors, to Mercedes at the beginning of the year, but I think today we are further away than we have been all year.
"Clearly we weren't performing the way we should and there was something not right. I think the stuff that we brought here did what it was supposed to do so that's good."