Thursday 25th August 2005

Ferrari: we don't know what's wrong

We cannot pinpoint the problem, says F1 boss

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Ferrari on the back foot

Ferrari F1 team boss Jean Todt has admitted that he doesn't know what's causing his racing cars to perform so poorly this year.

Ferrari has floundered around in mid-field this season, and is a distant third in the 2005 constructor's championship. At the last GP, held at the new track in Turkey, trackmeister Michael Schumacher was seemingly off the track as often as on because of a lack of grip, and retired mid-race.

Schumacher lies third in the driver's championship table, but is vulnerable to McLaren's Juan Pablo Montoya just 15 points behind. Team-mate Barrichello is over 20 points adrift.

Todt's best analysis is that its poor position -- by comparison to the previous five years -- is the result of two key decisions over tyres. One of these was made in Maranello, and the other at FIA HQ. He said that the team's close relationship with Bridgestone meant that there were few other comparison points to allow the team's technicians to pin-point the problems.

Few other cars run Bridgestones, and those that do -- Minardi and Jordan -- use a different formulation. And there's no comparison with last year, when Ferrari was again dominant, because of multiple changes in the regulations, including reductions in aerodynamic downforce, and rules designed to extract longer life from both tyres and engines.

For the future, Todt said that the situation could change, with rumours that both Toyota and Red Bull might switch to Bridgestones next year, providing more comparison points to find the precise cause of Ferrari's problem.

Todt drew solace from that fact that the team could at least secure third position in the 2005 championship.

[PhantomPH]

I have a theory - Ferrari and MS have been offered a chunk of money by 'whomever' to remain un-competative this season.

The sport was getting a lot of flack for being 'boring and predictable - Ferrari and MS win everything'. So there is a little closed-door dealing and money changes hands - enough to offset the money won by winning the constructors' championship for example - and Ferrari agree to 'let someone else have a go' for a season.

How else do you explain such dominance for so long, turning to poo in ONE closed season?

:D Obviously I am being silly....but its got you thinking, hasn't it? ;)

P~