Briatore: Ferrari should write-off 2011

[natural_051]

Ex-Renault boss, Flavio Briatore, has given a shock message to Ferrari following their severe lack of pace in last week's Australian Grand-Prix - "Focus on 2012!"

Briatore, who is also Fernando Alonso's manager, has said that the half-second gap between the 150 Italia car and the Red Bull is an eternity and even if the Maranello-based team manage to gain half a second, the "drinks company" will be even further ahead as they develop through the season.

"It may sound absurd, but I think Ferrari should focus on the 2012 car now," said the Italian to Finn newspaper, Turun Sanomat.

"Ferrari, of course, have all the engineering skills and resources that you need, but the half-second difference to Red Bull is an eternity."

The comments are not expected to influence Ferrari in any way, but will hit hard with Alonso, who earlier this week, said that the team's performance in Australia was not a disaster.

http://www.thef1times.com/news/display/02917

[Ste]

I'm sure Ferrari are listening to everything Flavio says.

Not.

[Tony]

By the end of the year, they might be lol....

[Ste]

By the end of the year, they might be lol....

[Lithium]

Flav talking out of his a***, as even he knows that no one is going to give up on the car after a one bad race. If, however, we're nowhere near RBR by this summer, I'm sure some decisions will have to be made.

[Tifoso]

If the gap stays the same at the next race, I agree with Flavio.

[OldskoolF1]

F1 wrote Flavio off

[Bruno]

F1 wrote Flavio off

I lol'd.

[racingbradley]

F1 wrote Flavio off

But he's still voicing his opinion. Maybe he should go and buy another thong and leave F1 to the experts.
It's a bit early to write off this years car. We looked pretty good in Winter testing and if Macca can turn their car round in a week I reckon so can Ferrari.

[Rob]

bit to early. Anything can and always happen in F1. Look at last year. Long year, but we need get up there asap. Have bit patience. (hard to, cos we expect wins and championships)

Forza Ferrari.

[Sianellen]

But he's still voicing his opinion. Maybe he should go and buy another thong and leave F1 to the experts.
It's a bit early to write off this years car. We looked pretty good in Winter testing and if Macca can turn their car round in a week I reckon so can Ferrari.

waits for Tifosi to post the picture....

[ferrari4life]

seriously...if we are just that slow as we showed in Aus.. we should concentrate on 2012 maybe we will have some innovation from our current design team.. Sad that we have to run after Newey...

[hogo]

Yeah lets wait for Malaysia first. If gap remains the same, they should do as Flavio says. Still more time doesn't mean that we will be good in 2012 either.

[OldskoolF1]

But he's still voicing his opinion. Maybe he should go and buy another thong and leave F1 to the experts.
It's a bit early to write off this years car. We looked pretty good in Winter testing and if Macca can turn their car round in a week I reckon so can Ferrari.

I agree. Nobody cares what Flavio says these days anyway and the reporter who asks Flav for his opinion must be some sad case desperate for a story

[OldskoolF1]

Yeah lets wait for Malaysia first. If gap remains the same, they should do as Flavio says. Still more time doesn't mean that we will be good in 2012 either.

Malaysia is way too early to write Ferrari off for the season. The cars won't change much from now till Malaysia anyway so we can expect another tough race probably. Fernando's engine blew up in Malaysia last year and he was up there at the end of the season. Ferrari turned the season around last year and I believe we will do it again once we get back to Europe

[Hornet]

There's still hope if we can come up with our own flexing wing.
We have to, our competitors are using that advantage and if the FIA refuse to do anything about it, we'll need it, otherwise we're done for.

I don't see what can be done that can magically overcome the flexing front wing advantage, apart from having one of our own.

[Tifosi]

waits for Tifosi to post the picture....

I only ever do it for Suzie . However, those old thong shots are a bit passé these days so I've prepared a rare treat for her to celebrate her elevation to mod status

[Greig]

Won't matter, we gave up on 2009 after about 4 races and still never came out ahead in 2010...

[Sianellen]

I only ever do it for Suzie . However, those old thong shots are a bit passé these days so I've prepared a rare treat for her to celebrate her elevation to mod status

Poor Suzie

That pic though reminds me of my flatmate.

[Tifosi]

Always good to have your manager contradicting you and writing your chances off after 1 race. He's a class act is Flav.

[Nova]

No need to bash the guy cause you dont like him..I dont know him, but I will want to see
what we look like in Malaysia..I am hoping that Oz was a one off for both Ferrari and RB in that
the car will come back to us a bit and we'll see that the RB's arent that much faster..Webber was all over Massa,
but he did not get past FA...that held my interest quite a bit...Fernando even pulled out a bit on him, so if the RB IS that
much quicker than us, it didnt show there..I would however, like to see us come out with a bit more radical design than we have the past few...

[crewskas]

Depends from the reason we are slower...
If it's something that can't be changed, then he is right, but not until you try and fix it in the following 3-4-5 races...

[xpman]

hahahahahaha so if Ferrari should give up on 2011 after 1 race then The Big question is what the hell should HTR do hahahaha Flav ????????????????

[Suzie]

I only ever do it for Suzie . However, those old thong shots are a bit passé these days so I've prepared a rare treat for her to celebrate her elevation to mod status

Cheers Stu. Just what I've always wanted - a picture of Flavio with his hand down his pants.
A million thank yous.

[Sianellen]

I remember our first race of 08 ended in a double DNF and we still went on to win a Constructors Championship and almost win the WDC too. No way am I giving up hope yet.

[Grillo]

I know Briatore talks a lot of BS but sometimes he knows what he's talking about. I mean, he might know something we don't?

I wish it proves him wrong in Malaysia and China.

[Alonsomaniac]

Flavio has always been known as the guy who could manage a team perfectly without knowing anything about the technical side of F1.

[Tifoso]

Won't matter, we gave up on 2009 after about 4 races and still never came out ahead in 2010...

You have a point, dang it

[scuderiafan]

I remember our first race of 08 ended in a double DNF and we still went on to win a Constructors Championship and almost win the WDC too. No way am I giving up hope yet.

Exactly. Remember, we were criticized for having a bad car worse than BMW and McLaren at that point. But now, and in 08, our car showed real pace in the race. so i'm looking forward to Malaysia.

[REDARMYSOJA]

No way you give up after one race. Flavio is losing it.