Ferrari F1 News

Fernando Alonso is not the sort to bandy around predictions and that was again the case this morning in his first press conference of 2012. So far, none of the cars that will take part in the World Championship has turned a wheel on track and so it is very difficult for the Spaniard to say who will be the ones to beat:

“I don’t have a crystal ball, so I don’t feel I can make any predictions. Theoretically, it will be Red Bull, but I say that based only on the fact that, for the past two years, they have won both titles. I reckon we will have to wait for at least two or three races, which means up to Shanghai, to really understand what the hierarchy is. Maybe some people think that the tests mean something, but that is not the case. On paper, we have everything in place to do well, but I can be neither optimistic nor pessimistic, partly because I have only seen the new car in the wind tunnel and from the diagrams on the engineers’ computers. I don’t think there will be a big difference compared to the other cars, because the regulations are very clear, but there will definitely be some innovations and good technical ideas.”
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Felipe Massa’s future depends on what happens now. At the end of 2012, the contract between the Brazilian and Scuderia Ferrari will come to an end, but the pressure that might build with this expiry date does not seem to have unsettled Felipe.

“I am well aware that in some ways, the first part of the season will be more important than the second,” he said. “When we reach the mid-point of the season, we will talk about my future and see what are the chances of continuing to work with Ferrari: The most important thing is the results: if they are good, making decisions about the future will be much easier and there would be no point in changing a situation that everyone was happy with.

“I want to read in the papers that Felipe is back, fighting for the wins and to do that, we need everything to be right: if we have a good car then I know I can fight for the title, as I have already done in the past,” ...

For a driver, inevitably his first adversary is his team-mate: he’s the only one with the same car and the only one from whom one has no secrets. Felipe Massa has always had very strong team-mates, of the calibre of Michael Schumacher, Jacques Villeneuve and Kimi Raikkonen, but usually he has never struggled as much in terms of results as he has with Fernando Alonso. Despite this, the relationship between the two Scuderia men seems today to be more solid than ever. Over the past few days on the slopes of the Dolomites, Felipe and Fernando have spent a lot of time together, even when not “on duty” for the media.

“Fernando and I work together towards having a quick car and for the good of the team,” said Felipe. “He is a great driver but clearly I would like to see my name always at the top of every time sheet. The gap that we have seen between us over the past two years could, in my opinion, be closed if we have a competitive car.”
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Felipe Massa was in determined mood and ready for action when he met journalists at the second Scuderia Ferrari press conference at Wrooom. The Brazilian driver’s confidence shone through on his ability to fight back after last year’s difficult season. He was also sure that the team would be able to give him a competitive car.

“After the last Grand Prix of 2011 in Brazil, I told myself that we had to be more competitive at every level and that’s exactly what we are doing,” said Felipe. “Something also needed to change on my side and now I feel mentally strong and extremely motivated. I am well aware that this is an important year for me, but the same goes for the whole team: I ask only to not have those difficulties in the races which often cropped up last year, preventing me from getting the results I should have done.”

Felipe does not fear pressure, partly down to the fact he now has a decade of experience in Formula 1. “That’s a lot of years and I can claim to be a veteran,” ...

“Another day of relaxation on the slopes, tackled with skis and on foot, or at the wheel of an FF in the case of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso. However, the two Scuderia Ferrari drivers were on everyone’s lips during Stefano Domenicali’s press conference that was held this morning.

“Fernando has had two extraordinary years with us, coming within a whisker of the title in 2010 and improving also last year when despite having a less competitive car, he managed to maintain a very high standard in terms of performance,” said Stefano. “I was very impressed by the way he lived his life with the team: he is a person who can really motivate others and he can often be found in the factory, working with the engineers.

“I can honestly say that, in over 20 years at Maranello, I have never seen anyone spend so much time here with the team as he has done. Particularly, I believe Fernando has shown a great confidence in us at a time that was far from easy when, in the first part of last year, he decided to tie himself to us for many years. ...