Aldo Costa relinquishes position

[Hornet]

i don't understand, what is not allowed?

Pictures of Flavio wearing only a miniature thong

[kurski]

The limping stallion

26.5.2011 Heikki Kulta

This story was meant to be my post-blog from Turkey GP. When Alonso rode the Italian red pride as 3rd, I put this story aside until Ferrari fired Aldo Costa before Monaco.

Originally the group of us where thinking when the hatchet in Ferrari will swing. Now it has, but nothing indicated that sacrificing Costa would radically change anything this season.

Therefore the subject is still relevant.

Maranello's stallion was supposed to galop out of reach of the others this year. Yet the stallion has been limping: Ferrari has only got one podium from 5 races whereas Red Bull already has seven and McLaren five trophies.

The last time Ferrari had a sticky beginning like this was two years ago when the five first races went below expectations but then in Monaco Räikkönen took 3rd position.

Now they have charged big expectations for Ferrari's counterstrike in Monaco because the street track doesn't favor competitors who are superior when it comes to aerodynamics. In order to clean the air Ferrari also rearranged their technical management.

Two years ago head strategist Luca Baldisseri had to pay for the season's bad start and in the end of the season Ferrari paid out Räikkönen in order to continue winning.

Last year Fernando Alonso's WDC went to pieces in Abu Dhabi's final and head strategist Chris Dyer had to pay for the tactic blunder.

What about now? Will it be enough to put Aldo Costa aside at this point of the season?

Luca di Montezemolo's claim of being competitive right from the opening race didn't come true. Ferrari is just as much behind the top speed as it was last year.

Stefano Domenicali can't avoid being put in the front line unless the situation starts to improve. The Italian media was already ready to sacrifice Felipe Massa, but those talks ended for a while after some reasonable opening races – especially since it still is uncertain how Robert Kubica will heal.

When Jean Todt was team manager he could calm down the situation when the public bashing sometimes was hard. In a way Todt acted as the team's cover shield and when he let the critisism echo to deaf ears, the focus could be put in their own development work.

Now the atmosphere is such that in Ferrari they are keeping their breath while waiting for Monaco. If Alonso can't make a good result here, then we might be in for some more tough decisions.

I asked my reporter buddies if they had any premonitions about what could happen in Ferrari if the results don't improve. Back then none of them expected any drastic measures to happen.

Carlos Miguel, Spain:

– Fernando works like a maniac but nobody can avoid frustration if he doesn't win. I think that Ferrari's biggest problem is that testing during the season is banned. If they could test like in 2008, Ferrari's creativity would be on a completely different level. Back then they always worked on a new part that they could test immediately on the track. Now it's pure guessing how the new parts could help.

– Ferrari has also lost it's position as the richest team. Red Bull has more resources at the moment.

– If the results won't improve soon, then there might be more big changes ahead.

Luis Vasconcelos, Portugal:

– Ferrari isn't more than 0,8 seconds slower than Red Bull. They aren't more behind. The situation just looks like this because the two other teams have improved their pace.

– According to my information a new important update is coming to Canada GP in the beginning of June. If they are competitive there then they will continue the development work. If not, they start concentrating on the next year.

– Of course if the situation doesn't get better from this then I still don't believe that Domenicali's position would be in danger. Actually a lot depends upon how much di Montezemolo wants to take influencing power in the team.

Andrea Cremonesi, Italy:

– First of all I still believe that there will still be podiums, even a few victories, because the difference to the lead isn't hopelessly big. Well it's big but the circumstances always help. There will be times when Ferrari will be in the right place at the right time.

– If the season goes terribly wrong then many things will change. The technical department is already under the trigger. During pressure of change they have to find the right persons to deal with things the right way - in aerodynamic department etc.

– Realistically one has to see first who would be available on the market. Determine if someone else would be better in a position where Ferrari now has someone else working.

Mika Salo, Finland:

– I don't know - what could they do? Throw out Domenicali? It isn't his fault that the car is too slow. It's useless to blame the drivers. It's useless to blame Domenicali.

– Of course the media will finally point the blaming finger towards Domenicali although he has nothing to do with the car. Stefano has always been the good boy in Maranello and if the situation goes to that point, then he would be the one who would have to kick out somebody. Maybe it would only be a good thing if Domenicali would show his power.

– It's clear that it's useless to blame the drivers. It's all the same how bad the driver is setting up the car as long as the car goes fast.

Joe Saward, UK:

– If they would be realistic and sensible in Ferrari they would make changes only after they are assured in Maranello that they have the wrong group. It would be foolish to keep a wrong group together. Yet if the group seems to be the right one, what point is it in changing it?

– When talking about Ferrari one never knows what happens. I think only Adrian Newey could be sure of his position if he would be in Maranello at this moment.