Arrivabene: We're used to punches but Mercedes are not

During the F1 Fan Festival in Milan, Arrivabene was caught with his guard down when cornered by reporters and spoke about the team's home race this weekend, while revealing that the Reds intend intensifying the pressure on Mercedes in the belief they will wilt.

After a couple of disappointing races before the summer break, Ferrari bounced back when F1 got back to work, in Belgium last weekend, with a very fast car throughout the three days which ended in victory for Vettel - the pendulum swinging back to the red side.

Arrivabene said of the triumph, "We were praised for our victory Spa-Francorchamps, so it is good for us - especially for our staff who work hard at the factory and at the racetrack."

"But the fact is: we are behind. So I say to them head down, roll up your sleeves and carry on!"

"We must put pressure on Mercedes because they are not used to it. In the last few years, we were the ones with our heads hanging low, we took punches right and left, but we always got up."

"We're used to it. They are not, so the speech made to the boys is simple: let's keep them under pressure. Sooner or later, when we reach them we will have been the aggressors who took the punches and we know the feeling."

"Now it's time to give it to them," added Arrivabene whose team trail Mercedes in the championship standings by 15 points with eight rounds remaining.

Of this Sunday's 69th edition of the Italian Grand Prix (68th at Monza) Arrivabene said, "It's nice to feel the warmth of the fans. In football jargon, I would say that the

Tifosi are our twelfth man. "

"The pressure in Monza is always great, especially if you've won the race before. We are slowly reaping the fruits of years of work," added the Italian team chief whose team has not won their home race since Fernando Alonso triumphed at the temple of speed in 2010.