Ferrari may swicth focus to 2010?
Discussion
Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali says the Italian team may switch its development focus onto the 2010 car as early as next month if its fortunes do not improve dramatically in the next few races.
The Maranello-based outfit has failed to score a point in the first three races of the season, its worst start to a campaign since 1981, and is now facing a very tough challenge to get itself back in the championship hunt.
Speaking at Shanghai on Sunday night, Domenicali refused to rule out the possibility of the team abandoning the development push on its 2009 car if matters do not improve when a double-decker diffuser version of its F60 is raced for the first time at the Spanish Grand Prix.
When asked at what point the team would decide whether to start concentrating on the 2010 car, Domenicali said: "I think for sure we will see after Spain where we are. In that period we will see really what can be the situation - so when we come back to Europe basically."
Although much has been made of the advantage that the 'diffuser gang' of Brawn GP, Williams and Toyota have enjoyed in the first races of the season, Domenicali does not believe that copying their rear-end concept will be the whole answer to Ferrari's woes.
"No. The situation is much more complicated than that," he said. "That device will give you a benefit. But it would be wrong to believe that it is the only key. We have seen, for example, the Red Bull car has done a really great job.
"They had more time, they switched their project much earlier than us and that is the reality and we need to consider it. The other thing that we have to understand well is that today in certain conditions, look at the first part of the race, our car was not too bad at all. So we need to understand a lot of things."
Domenicali added that he would not be forced into a panic about Ferrari's situation, or revise the team's targets for the season.
"I think we have to wait," he said. "We need to stay cool. It is not easy, I know, but we need to stay cool because there are too many things that can change very quickly. The priority number one is to move from zero points."
Source - Autosport,http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74644
The Maranello-based outfit has failed to score a point in the first three races of the season, its worst start to a campaign since 1981, and is now facing a very tough challenge to get itself back in the championship hunt.
Speaking at Shanghai on Sunday night, Domenicali refused to rule out the possibility of the team abandoning the development push on its 2009 car if matters do not improve when a double-decker diffuser version of its F60 is raced for the first time at the Spanish Grand Prix.
When asked at what point the team would decide whether to start concentrating on the 2010 car, Domenicali said: "I think for sure we will see after Spain where we are. In that period we will see really what can be the situation - so when we come back to Europe basically."
Although much has been made of the advantage that the 'diffuser gang' of Brawn GP, Williams and Toyota have enjoyed in the first races of the season, Domenicali does not believe that copying their rear-end concept will be the whole answer to Ferrari's woes.
"No. The situation is much more complicated than that," he said. "That device will give you a benefit. But it would be wrong to believe that it is the only key. We have seen, for example, the Red Bull car has done a really great job.
"They had more time, they switched their project much earlier than us and that is the reality and we need to consider it. The other thing that we have to understand well is that today in certain conditions, look at the first part of the race, our car was not too bad at all. So we need to understand a lot of things."
Domenicali added that he would not be forced into a panic about Ferrari's situation, or revise the team's targets for the season.
"I think we have to wait," he said. "We need to stay cool. It is not easy, I know, but we need to stay cool because there are too many things that can change very quickly. The priority number one is to move from zero points."
Source - Autosport,http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74644
Jasandjules said:
Cut your losses = not a bad plan.
I would say that to me the mark of an incredible driver is one who is in a car which on paper should not be fast, yet still manages to qualify/finish in the top 8.
Very true, the Ferrari should be at least on par with the Mclaren at the moment and if anything, the Ferrari showed more promise than the Mclaren in pre-season testing.I would say that to me the mark of an incredible driver is one who is in a car which on paper should not be fast, yet still manages to qualify/finish in the top 8.
As for there drivers? I dont want to winde up Ferrari lovers BUT i do think that Kimi is showing his true un-greatness when in an average car. We all deep down had doubts about Massa so nothing suprises me with him. Massa being WDC last year would have been a complete joke.
Edited by Wanta996Gotta on Monday 20th April 12:45
Wanta996Gotta said:
Very true, the Ferrari should be at least on par with the Mclaren at the moment and if anything, the Ferrari showed more promise than the Mclaren in pre-season testing.
Please dont tell me that you are going to use testing to put the Ferrari ahead of the McLaren at this point in time..TonyToniTone said:
Wanta996Gotta said:
Very true, the Ferrari should be at least on par with the Mclaren at the moment and if anything, the Ferrari showed more promise than the Mclaren in pre-season testing.
Please dont tell me that you are going to use testing to put the Ferrari ahead of the McLaren at this point in time..In my opinion, Mclaren and Ferrari have started outside the Top 10 and its all about moving forwards? I think Mclaren are doing a better job at it than Ferrari are - if anything, Ferrari are going backwards.
Edited by Wanta996Gotta on Monday 20th April 13:12
It is an interesting thought - once the "dream team" of Brawn, Schumacher, Todt etc broke up I did wonder how long Ferrari would last at the level of competitiveness they had, and have to admit to a certain element of surprise that it was as long as it has been. I am not saying they are in disarray, and if they are, they are certainly not alone in it, but with a few things last year such as the silly pit lane traffic lights I do wonder if the team are now falling back into a lower level which was predominant prior to the recent successful period.
Switching to next years car would be interesting with regards to the driver line up - would Kimi think it worth staying, and indeed would Ferrari decide him worth keeping as his efforts to improve the car appear to be limited. Similarly, would Alonso be interested in joining team which may not be as successful as he would like?
Switching to next years car would be interesting with regards to the driver line up - would Kimi think it worth staying, and indeed would Ferrari decide him worth keeping as his efforts to improve the car appear to be limited. Similarly, would Alonso be interested in joining team which may not be as successful as he would like?
I can't make any sense of this. Next years car is just going to be a more developed version of this years? As far as I'm aware there are no substantial rule changes so surely the obvious thing to do is just keep developing the current car as quickly as possible as it's what they will be using for next year?
Unless of course there is something fundamentally flawed with this years car and they want to start again with a clean sheet of paper?
Unless of course there is something fundamentally flawed with this years car and they want to start again with a clean sheet of paper?
peterh2 said:
Unless of course there is something fundamentally flawed with this years car and they want to start again with a clean sheet of paper?
That is how I understood it. Or at least that the changes required to make it fully competitive are so substantial that starting again would be just as cost effective as fixing what is there.MartG said:
If they did that, I can't see Kimi trying very hard for the rest of the season as he doesn't seem particularly highly motivated when his car isn't competitive
You're joking right?Kimi doesn't need an excuse to have a lack of motivation. If the car was top notch, he would turn up, race, go to hotel f
k pit girls.Simple.
3/16 and the Italians surrender.
Oh dear.
Ferrari concentrating on next years barge would be more than a huge slap into the face of all the investors in the scuderia.
All that money thrown down the drain, and an image of quitters firmly pressed onto their company.
There is of course no guarantee that Ferrari would get next years car any more "right" than they got last years.
I can hear the clock ticking, and Steve Sunday will be up for the order of the boot come Spa. [nul points]
Oh dear.
Ferrari concentrating on next years barge would be more than a huge slap into the face of all the investors in the scuderia.
All that money thrown down the drain, and an image of quitters firmly pressed onto their company.
There is of course no guarantee that Ferrari would get next years car any more "right" than they got last years.
I can hear the clock ticking, and Steve Sunday will be up for the order of the boot come Spa. [nul points]
Edited by stuttgartmetal on Tuesday 21st April 10:06
Jasandjules said:
Cut your losses = not a bad plan.
Since when has a team got anywhere by abandoning their current car early to focus on the following years...?Wonder what odds I can get on Fiat dumping the Ferrari F1 team, it being bought by Mr M Schumacher and getting 1st/2nd at he 2010 Australian GP
//j17 said:
Jasandjules said:
Cut your losses = not a bad plan.
Since when has a team got anywhere by abandoning their current car early to focus on the following years...?//j17 said:
Wonder what odds I can get on Fiat dumping the Ferrari F1 team, it being bought by Mr M Schumacher and getting 1st/2nd at he 2010 Australian GP
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