Work without a break with Australian GP in sight

[Rob]

Maranello, 5 March – The men and women from the Scuderia Ferrari can’t even pause for a second. The pre-Championship tests ended last night and the team met this morning in Maranello to quietly analyse the data collected in this last session held at Montmelò. The technicians were joined by the two drivers: Alonso travelled by plane with the team back to Italy, while Massa came by car from Monaco and immediately worked with the simulator until 6pm.

In the afternoon everyone from the Scuderia met to take stock of the situation and listen to Team Principal Stefano Domenicali. “It’s obvious that we can’t be happy with how the test went considering or goals, but let’s not forget that the Championship still has to start,” he said.

“This is just the starting point and we have a very long season ahead of us. We know that there are some areas where we have to work a lot, regarding reliability and performance, but I’m expecting some great responses from you all and the wish to show who we are.”

Fernando approved Domenicali’s words: “Above all I want to thank you all for the work you’ve done. These were some very intense months and weeks and I know that you’re giving it your all, that you’re working 24/7 on the track and here at the Works to provide me and Felipe with a strong car. The new single-seater has some characteristics, which are difficult to understand and maybe we’re not where we want to be yet. But we’ve all live through many Formula 1 seasons and we all know very well that until we’re not in Australia we don’t really know where we stand regarding to the others. There’s lots of talk and many ideas, but nobody knows the truth. For example yesterday Red Bull, considered by many to be the front-runner, had only a few laps and the last time on the sheet: if something similar had happened to us, hell would have broken loose, but here nobody really noticed it. More than ever we have to give it our all to improve, from the one who’s responsible for the rear-view mirror to the one who’s responsible for the piston. We’re united and we’re giving it our all, because we all want the same. I just want to remind you of an episode two years ago: at the last test in Barcelona we were fifth behind Red Bull, McLaren, Sauber and Force India and two weeks later we gained a one-two win in Bahrain. What counts is not to be first in the first race, but in November, at the end of the Championship….”

Felipe and Fernando will be in Maranello tomorrow for a series of commercial obligations, while Chairman Luca di Montezemolo will present the new F12 Berlinetta, the fastest road-going Ferrari ever built, to the press in Geneva.

http://www.ferrari.com/English/Formu...-in-sight.aspx

[Alessandra]

Forza Ferrari

[Ste]

Great words from Alonso.

[ferrari4life]

Great words from Alonso.

i think those were stefano's words.. Alonso just approved of them

[Grillo]

That's the way to go for it.

[tifoso SF]

i think those were stefano's words.. Alonso just approved of them

it's Fernando's I think, he said "..me and Felipe"

[MarlboroFA]

i think those were stefano's words.. Alonso just approved of them

first part is from Stefano after when it says Fernando approved these words, it's Alonso talking...He says 'providing me and Felipe'

Tifoso SF was quicker

[ferrari4life]

ah ok.. thanks

[NJB13]

Excellent words from both SD and FA.

Forza Ferrari

[Curbs]

Red Bull in a dilemma over new RB8 for Melbourne

http://www.yallaf1.com/2012/03/06/re...for-melbourne/

04.03.2012 Barcelona, Spain - Sebastian Vettel (GER), Red Bull Racing - Formula1 World Championship Pre-Season Testing - Circuit de Catalunya +++ © Copyright: RACE-PRESS.com

Sebastian Vettel the Red bull RB8 on the final day of Barcelona testing

Mar.6 (GMM) World champions Red Bull are considering taking the older version of its new car – the RB8 – to Melbourne for the 2012 Formula 1 season opener.

That is the opinion of the authoritative Auto Motor und Sport magazine, after the radically updated model made a troubled debut late last week as the pre-season test period ended.

Rivals and pundits believe the reigning champions are still leading the field, but the latest Barcelona-spec car – featuring a significantly different exhaust layout – did not complete many laps.

Moreover, it also did not appear to be fast.

“When I watched Webber’s long run on Saturday afternoon,” said an engineer for a rival team, “it was nothing special – not the lap times nor the tyre wear.”

Also unconvinced are the drivers, with Mark Webber saying the new car did not feel “massively different” to the earlier version of the RB8.

Sebastian Vettel, meanwhile, was dead last after just 23 laps on Sunday, and is quoted as saying: “It wouldn’t be fair for me to judge the upgrades, so we have to rely on the data collected by Mark.”

Another rival engineer said there is visual evidence that the exhaust gases on the revised layout “are not going where they (Red Bull) want them to go”.

[anialonso]

So it seems Redbull even struggled with the exhaust the same way ferrari did...
hope they fail them big time in melbourne...
FORZA......

[dfunk257]

"There’s lots of talk and many ideas, but nobody knows the truth. For example yesterday Red Bull, considered by many to be the front-runner, had only a few laps and the last time on the sheet: if something similar had happened to us, hell would have broken loose, but here nobody really noticed it"
"I just want to remind you of an episode two years ago: at the last test in Barcelona we were fifth behind Red Bull, McLaren, Sauber and Force India and two weeks later we gained a one-two win in Bahrain. What counts is not to be first in the first race, but in November, at the end of the Championship….”

Greatest speech ever from Fernando!

FORZA FERRARI!!!

[EL NANO]

Red Bull in a dilemma over new RB8 for Melbourne

http://www.yallaf1.com/2012/03/06/re...for-melbourne/

Are the cards falling in the righ places for us already? after analysing and reading a few news items I believe ALL TEAMS are trying to figure out how to get more downforce from the exhaust and if RB had to go back to the original RB8 we are in the right direction!!

Also RB have been sooo dominant in the past two years thanks to the blown diffeser that we think they connot go wrong, well according to this article this could be the beginning of the end for RB dominance I believe...

[EL NANO]

I belive that Ferrari are playing it safe , lets not forget that Stefano wanted to be devastating right from day one in Melbourne and all he is saying that due to some aero issues they may not be as dominant but then if nobody is then we are in the right team folks because nobody can develop a car quicker than the Ferrari team!!!

[Hornet]

So it seems Redbull even struggled with the exhaust the same way ferrari did...
hope they fail them big time in melbourne...
FORZA......

It is a challenge now with the new rules to control where the exhaust gas want to go. Ferrari probably found that the gas are not going where they hope, maybe the same thing happened to Red Bull now.

[bladeswing]

Are the cards falling in the righ places for us already? after analysing and reading a few news items I believe ALL TEAMS are trying to figure out how to get more downforce from the exhaust and if RB had to go back to the original RB8 we are in the right direction!!

Also RB have been sooo dominant in the past two years thanks to the blown diffeser that we think they connot go wrong, well according to this article this could be the beginning of the end for RB dominance I believe...

Let's hope Ferrari sort their issues out and RB left scratching their heads

[Ferrari2183]

Are the cards falling in the righ places for us already? after analysing and reading a few news items I believe ALL TEAMS are trying to figure out how to get more downforce from the exhaust and if RB had to go back to the original RB8 we are in the right direction!!

Also RB have been sooo dominant in the past two years thanks to the blown diffeser that we think they connot go wrong, well according to this article this could be the beginning of the end for RB dominance I believe...

Problem is that McLaren have gotten their solution spot on and I was hoping that race wins would be exchanged between Red Bull and McLaren in the early going. It is going to be bad for Ferrari if one team dominates.

[EL NANO]

Problem is that McLaren have gotten their solution spot on and I was hoping that race wins would be exchanged between Red Bull and McLaren in the early going. It is going to be bad for Ferrari if one team dominates.

I am going to disagree with you on the mclarens, I believe their got the disign wrong this year as I can't see how they can direct as much air into the difusser with a nose angled like that but I am not an engineer

[bladeswing]

Problem is that McLaren have gotten their solution spot on and I was hoping that race wins would be exchanged between Red Bull and McLaren in the early going. It is going to be bad for Ferrari if one team dominates.

I'm sorry... but I haven't heard, read or seen anywhere nor anybody saying that McLaren's exhaust solution is spot on.

[bladeswing]

http://www.yallaf1.com/2012/03/06/bu...-will-recover/

Button warns that struggling Ferrari will recover

Mar.6 (GMM) Jenson Button has tipped Ferrari to recover, after the famous Italian team admitted that it does not initially expect to be a podium contender in 2012.

Paddock insiders are tipping a close three-way battle between Red Bull, McLaren and possibly Mercedes, in the early part of this season, as Ferrari apparently flounders with its complex F2012.

But McLaren’s Button said: “I’m sure Ferrari can find their way out of a sticky situation – if they’re in a sticky situation.

“We’re all trying new things at the start of the year. One of us will get it right and I’m sure the others will follow suit in the end,” he told the Guardian.

“They’re obviously on the back foot but I’m sure they’ll catch up.”

Despite an unprecedented media muzzle, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso broke his enforced silence last weekend to admit by way of analogy that his 2012 car is not in top Barcelona football players’ Messi and Iniesta’s league at present.

But the Spaniard also pointed out that while the press is making a fuss about Ferrari’s troubles, the immense pressure on Ferrari is unique.

“For example yesterday (Sunday at Barcelona) Red Bull had only a few laps and the last time on the sheet,” Alonso reportedly told Ferrari staff at Maranello.

“If something similar had happened to us, [all] hell would have broken loose, but here, (in Italy) nobody really noticed it.”

Alonso does not think he will be pushing for the Melbourne win next weekend, but he also insisted: “What counts is not to be first in the first race, but in November, at the end of the championship.”


...however, I'd like to believe that Ferrari is in a far better situation than how others think.

[Ferrari2183]

I'm sorry... but I haven't heard, read or seen anywhere nor anybody saying that McLaren's exhaust solution is spot on.

You see now. This is akin to closing your ears because you don't want to hear.

McLaren have gone for an exotic exhaust and yet their car, from various trackside reports, behaves as expected through various corners unlike RBR's latest exhasust iteration and Ferrari's.

[coolrunnings_99]

One can safely say that we are in a better situation, then the scoreboards say, for quite some time now.
Judging by the spoken in everlasting kindness, we re even better, for an even longer period.

As if we were to be judged by the walked and done, since we re so cool, glam and posh just by appearances, and old scores of F1 stats.

I hope Fonzo makes me eat some humble pie, come next weekend, I really do.

Another season start with issues, tyre degradation, heat up, cool down, not realizing the full potential of our F1 contenders that seem to sprout from someone elses rabbit hats acompanied by PR hymns on how cool we really are...I hope not.

Well Hope is a lady of questionabale morals, they say.

No more waiting for red cars, racing please, now.

[zakfourie]

+1

[scuderiafan]

You see now. This is akin to closing your ears because you don't want to hear.

McLaren have gone for an exotic exhaust and yet their car, from various trackside reports, behaves as expected through various corners unlike RBR's latest exhasust iteration and Ferrari's.

lucky for us, that McLaren love their PR image, so if they have the best car at the start of the season, their drivers will take points away from eachother, because of their 'equality'

[Ferrari2183]

lucky for us, that McLaren love their PR image, so if they have the best car at the start of the season, their drivers will take points away from eachother, because of their 'equality'

I don't think McLaren will have the fastest car, I think RBR will even if they run the old exhaust solution but McLaren will run them close. I also think Alonso will be able to get within 0.500 second of pole but the race will be a different matter with the car jumping in and out of its performance window.

I hope the exhaust optimisation update takes care of this performance window issue.

[scuderiafan]

I don't think McLaren will have the fastest car, I think RBR will even if they run the old exhaust solution but McLaren will run them close. I also think Alonso will be able to get within 0.500 second of pole but the race will be a different matter with the car jumping in and out of its performance window.

I hope the exhaust optimisation update takes care of this performance window issue.

2 weeks solid data analysis and setup work, and as fry said 'optimisation' would hopefully make that window a lot bigger, yeah.

the funny thing is, under so much BS and negativity, the general consensus is that this car is not slow at all. when it is 'on it' it is up there with the Macs and Bulls. the problem is that it has trouble accessing this speed. a lot different to say, and F150. this is more like a maybe a RB5 or something??
point is, without using the dreaded Mac words, the p-------- is there, they just need to u----- it.

[Jose Lorca]

I think P4 in qualifying is the best we can hope for. Fernando is better in the races and can easily adapt his style to drive around any issues - so I think he can hold his position in the race.

My biggest concern is Massa. Alonso dominates his teammates when he's in a bad handling car so I suspect the gap between Alonso and Massa will be even greater than it was last year (at least in the first few races). I wouldn't be surprised if Massa get knocked out in Q2.

[Alonsomaniac]

As always Jenson Button keeps both feet on the ground. He knows ...never underestimate Ferrari because it will hit back.

And Alonso? When in the far future he retires as a driver, Ferrari should keep him in the team as their motivator. This guy can make a team work 24 hours in a day and still be happy about it....

[c-man]

http://www.yallaf1.com/2012/03/06/bu...-will-recover/

Button warns that struggling Ferrari will recover

But McLaren’s Button said: “I’m sure Ferrari can find their way out of a sticky situation – if they’re in a sticky situation.

no one knows what form Ferrari is in right now except Ferrari. i think they are all a little scared.

[GrndLkNatv]

They guys fly out for Melbourne on Thursday, only two days from now... I have heard from a couple friends that they are working 19 and 20 hour days right now, going all out to give us Tifosi some wins!!! They are dedicated!!! That's why we love them!!!

Maranello, 5 March – The men and women from the Scuderia Ferrari can’t even pause for a second. The pre-Championship tests ended last night and the team met this morning in Maranello to quietly analyse the data collected in this last session held at Montmelò. The technicians were joined by the two drivers: Alonso travelled by plane with the team back to Italy, while Massa came by car from Monaco and immediately worked with the simulator until 6pm.

In the afternoon everyone from the Scuderia met to take stock of the situation and listen to Team Principal Stefano Domenicali. “It’s obvious that we can’t be happy with how the test went considering or goals, but let’s not forget that the Championship still has to start,” he said.

“This is just the starting point and we have a very long season ahead of us. We know that there are some areas where we have to work a lot, regarding reliability and performance, but I’m expecting some great responses from you all and the wish to show who we are.”

Fernando approved Domenicali’s words: “Above all I want to thank you all for the work you’ve done. These were some very intense months and weeks and I know that you’re giving it your all, that you’re working 24/7 on the track and here at the Works to provide me and Felipe with a strong car. The new single-seater has some characteristics, which are difficult to understand and maybe we’re not where we want to be yet. But we’ve all live through many Formula 1 seasons and we all know very well that until we’re not in Australia we don’t really know where we stand regarding to the others. There’s lots of talk and many ideas, but nobody knows the truth. For example yesterday Red Bull, considered by many to be the front-runner, had only a few laps and the last time on the sheet: if something similar had happened to us, hell would have broken loose, but here nobody really noticed it. More than ever we have to give it our all to improve, from the one who’s responsible for the rear-view mirror to the one who’s responsible for the piston. We’re united and we’re giving it our all, because we all want the same. I just want to remind you of an episode two years ago: at the last test in Barcelona we were fifth behind Red Bull, McLaren, Sauber and Force India and two weeks later we gained a one-two win in Bahrain. What counts is not to be first in the first race, but in November, at the end of the Championship….”

Felipe and Fernando will be in Maranello tomorrow for a series of commercial obligations, while Chairman Luca di Montezemolo will present the new F12 Berlinetta, the fastest road-going Ferrari ever built, to the press in Geneva.

http://www.ferrari.com/English/Formu...-in-sight.aspx