Tag Archives: Ferrari

October 23, 2013 · 6:57 am

Alonso “crossed the line” says Domenicali

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali made has made some interesting observations in a specially arranged interview with two Italian fans noted for their criticism of the Scuderia on social networks.

Ferrari invited the pair to ask the boss anything they wanted.

“I have something to say to him, as would be the case with my engineers, I would do it behind closed doors and in a harsh manner,” said Domenicali when asked about Fernando Alonso and Luca di Montezemolo’s ‘ear tweaking’. “But externally, I will always defend the team. When he crossed the line, president Montezemolo intervened and in private, so did I.”

Domenicali conceded that Ferrari has not given the Spaniard a good enough car.

“If in the past four years we have come close to the title twice, it is partly down to him. Unfortunately, we have not been capable of giving him a car that matches his talent. You compare him to Vettel, but when you have a better car, everything is more straightforward.”

Asked what Red Bull had and Ferrari didn’t, he said: “Everyone is trying to work that out. But it’s pointless make accusations if there is no proof. The FIA can check the control unit, and if they find nothing than Red Bull is obviously doing a good job.”

Domenicali was also asked why Felipe Massa has stayed with the team for so long, the questioner implying that the Brazilian has not been the same since his 2009 accident.

“There are two reasons. From a medical point of view, there is no proof that the accident left any permanent damage, such as problems with his sight or reflexes. And then there’s the gentility which would demand that we give a driver who hasn’t had much luck, the chance to show he deserves to stay with us.

“If Felipe was unable to deliver the performance we hoped for, it was mainly down to a hyper-sensitivity to a car that was too nervous at the rear, but in 2008, he almost took the title and I consider him as a world champion. We took Raikkonen because we wanted more. When we replaced him with Alonso, he was not happy and so he returns with a great desire to do well.”

More from the discussion can be found on the Ferrari website.

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October 13, 2013 · 2:23 pm

Fernando Alonso: “I think it’s a matter of time…

Fernando Alonso kept the 2013 World Championship battle alive by finishing fourth in Japan, although the Spanish driver admitted afterwards that he has no chance to beat Sebastian Vettel.

Alonso said that he was surprised to finish as high as he did at Suzuka.

“Yeah, a little bit because obviously we had some strong people in front of us, and we also had some threat from behind, like Kimi that was starting ninth,” he said. “But the race went good. From the start we recovered some positions, and then we’ve been a little bit lucky with some Mercedes problems, both having to go back. I think it was a good race in terms if points for the constructors’ championship. In terms of pace we didn’t have the pace to be on the podium, but after those three we’ve been very competitive in the race.”

“Even if Vettel doesn’t finish all the races I need to win nearly all, so I think it’s a matter of time. But it’s true that we have different goals now in the constructors’ championship. Today with the problems for Mercedes we are in a good position or in a better position.”

Alonso also went to the top of the all-time F1 points table, although he acknowledged that the change to 25 for a win had given him a hand.

“Today they told me I have the record of points in history. It’s a happy day. Leading the score in a sport like F1 is something great. I know that the points system changed some years ago but when someone will overtake me in the points no one will remember the points system, so let’s try to enjoy now the moment, and have a little celebration tonight!”

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October 10, 2013 · 12:34 pm

Felipe Massa: “We have nothing to lose…”

Felipe Massa admits that having his final race for Ferrari in his home country in Brazil next month will make for an emotional weekend.

He also says he has nothing to lose as he tries to finish his stint with the team with a victory.

“I think the Brazilian GP is always very emotional,” he said when asked by this writer if he’d thought about Interlagos yet. “And especially when you see that you are there and in your last race for Ferrari, after such a long story. For sure it will be emotional, and I hope I can have a great race there, a great result, because the result makes things even more emotional. I hope we can have a fantastic last race – not just the last race but all these races, and especially the last race for Ferrari, for my history in Ferrari, and in Brazil.

“I’ll keep having an aggressive approach. We have nothing to lose, to be honest. So I’ll try the best I can. I spun not to hit Rosberg [in Korea], so it happens. Sometimes you need to risk a little bit, but I mean the drive there in the last race was good, the pace was good, unfortunately this cost me some points at the end of the race.

“We can never give up, and I will try the best definitely to finish with at least one more victory with Ferrari, it will be fantastic. I will try everything I can. And I hope he helps me as well, Fernando!”

Massa also stressed that his best calling card for next season was his experience, rather than a good result in the last few races of 2013.

“I think the experience is a lot more important than anything. Definitely the result is always good to have, whatever circumstance. People always remember the last race than the ones before. But I think everybody knows what I can bring to a team, everybody knows how important I can be to a team as well. We start from zero, new rules, so I think I have a lot to give to a team, and this makes more sense than just one result.”

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October 4, 2013 · 12:43 pm

2014 Monaco-New Jersey trip “almost impossible,” says Ferrari

Ferrari sporting director Massimo Rivola said today that the 2014 calendar will cause problems for the teams.

Like many F1 insiders Rivola, who still expects the final tally to drop from 22 to 20 races, believes that the unprecedented triple header of Monaco, New Jersey and Canada is a logistical nightmare. It’s the first time that a flyaway has ever been scheduled back-to-back with a European evemt.

“To be honest I’m still hoping we come back to the 20 races as per the current sporting regulation,” said Rivola. “We will see. At the moment the calendar is not the best calendar possible in terms of logistics. Even the first race in Australia, alone, is not ideal. From the logistics side I would prefer to stop and do a race in a back-to-back coming back from Australia. For sure there are some good commercial reasons behind this that I am not aware of but we will see. When the calendar is 100 per cent fixed we will manage it.”

Regarding the Monaco-New Jersey trip he said: “I can say that even for a top team it’s something almost impossible, to be honest, to be done. But as I said, we will see the real calendar and then we figure it out.”

Meanwhile Sauber team manager Beat Zehnder said: “Technically, it will be very difficult to have a back-to-back from Monaco to Jersey, because normally the freight will leave for Canada, let’s say, on the Saturday before the race. And so that’s why, if you’re only able to send your freight on a Monday or a Tuesday, it compromises your weekend quite a bit.”

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October 3, 2013 · 1:15 am

Marussia confirms Bianchi for 2014

Marussia has confirmed that Jules Bianchi will stay on for a futher season in 2014.

The news comes as no great surprise given that the team will use a Ferrari powertrain and gearbox package next year.

“Jules joined us at very short notice at the end of pre-season testing, with only two days of running under his belt,” said team boss John Booth. “He rose to the challenge of his debut season exceptionally well and since that time has clearly demonstrated his ability and potential. 2014 heralds a new era for the sport and continuity and consistency of line-up will be important in helping us to navigate the transition.

“We look forward to confirming our full race driver line-up later in the season. Until then we have an important job to do to ensure we retain our 10th place in the Constructors’ Championship and this is where our full focus will lie in the intervening period.”

“I couldn’t have wished for a more supportive environment in which to make my F1 debut and from the very beginning I have always felt completely at home with the team,” said Bianchi. “We started the season very well and while the challenge has increased as the season has developed, we have learned important lessons together that will place us in a much stronger position next year when there are a lot of changes for the sport and the Team to get used to.

“I am very excited to be part of the team as we all enter this new era of F1 and I look forward to achieving some rewarding performances together. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Ferrari Driver Academy for their continued support for my career.”

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September 25, 2013 · 9:19 am

Alonso/Raikkonen combo could work well, says Prost

Alain Prost sees no reason why the Fernando Alonso/Kimi Raikkonen combination won’t work for Ferrari next year.

Prost was involved in two of the most contentious team line-ups in history, with Ayrton Senna at McLaren and Nigel Mansell at Ferrari, but he says that having two star drivers can help a team.

“Only next year will tell us, because that can work very well, there’s no question,” he said in Singapore. “It has worked well in the past. Everybody thinks about Ayrton and myself, but it has also worked well, it has worked well also for the team, because we really put the team on the top. Obviously if you have a problem the management has to make it work. So it’s going to be more difficult, but it can work. I don’t know if it’s the right choice – we are going to see next year.”

He conceded that the fact that the drivers have such contrasting approaches could help: “It should be easier for sure, because Kimi has a different character.”

Meanwhile Prost agreed that modern drivers have different personalties compared to his day.

“They have changed, but it’s normal. Society has changed, and the way they start… Look at Sebastian, he’s going to be maybe four times World Champion this year, 26 years old. I won my first race at 26, so you cannot compare, it’s a different generation.

“They never lived with accidents, the risk, so it’s also a different mentality. The way they work now with the cars and teams, it is obviously very different, it’s much more electronic, it’s much more organised, that’s why you can’t compare. But the ability, the skill, the talent, is still there. And we have a good generation of drivers.”

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September 20, 2013 · 5:42 pm

Fernando Alonso: “I have three more years with Ferrari…”

Fernando Alonso has done his best to put an end to speculation about a possible return to McLaren.

The Singapore paddock was buzzing today with suggestions that Alonso could return to the team after Martin Whitmarsh admitted that he would be happy to have the Spaniard back, despite the acrimonious end to his previous stint there  in 2007.

“Not really,” he said when asked if McLaren had any appeal. “I repeat more or less every weekend, I keep repeating, I don’t know why, that I love Ferrari and I will stay in Ferrari until the end.”

However he also hinted that things had changed at McLaren, and had a dig at Ron Dennis, who is no longer involved in the day-to-day running of the team.

“It is nice to hear comments from all the teams – all the team principals – every year, saying they respect my job and my personality. Especially McLaren, there were so many rumours that we had a lot of problems that year.

“I always say that I had no problems with anyone, it was just the philosophy of the team, or especially one man in the team, that is not really there. It’s good to have these comments, but there’s no intention. I have three more years with Ferrari and I hope many more to come, if we can extend the contract, and that will be my hope.”

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September 19, 2013 · 1:25 pm

Raikkonen the best on the market, says Alonso

Fernando Alonso insisted today that he was totally happy with the Ferrari’s decision to re-hire Kimi Raikkonen, and had agreed that the Finn was the best driver available heading into 2014.

“I was always informed about the team movements,” said Alonso. “And it’s true that I think until the last moment the team didn’t make a decision. And then when they decided that it was better to change Felipe, they asked me what was my opinion, my opinion was he was the best out there in the market, and especially for a championship with many changes for next year, in terms of developing the car in January/February, a team mate that is many years in F1 was important. The team chose Kimi, so I’m happy.”

Alonso denied that having Raikkonen on board would make any difference to his current motivation.

“I think the motivation will be always similar, I think I will do my best all the time. Sometimes you deliver the results that people expect, sometimes not, but I don’t think anyone will push me more than what I push now.”

He didn’t see any drawbacks in having two World Champions in the same team: “I don’t think that makes any difference, it’s something that you keep writing these days and many people try to say, which is exactly the same as when I arrived here with Felipe – it will be a disaster, Felipe is in Ferrari many years already, it will be a very difficult relationship. And after four years he’s one of the best friends that I have here.

“Felipe, I consider him like a World Champion as well, it’s not that one title will change anything in the relationship or in the team in terms of pushing. Felipe was World Champion when he crossed the line in 2008, so it’s not that he’s a rookie driver.”

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September 19, 2013 · 12:52 pm

Kimi Raikkonen: “It’s not like we are 20-year-old guys any more…”

Kimi Raikkonen confirmed today that the financial situation at Lotus played a big part in his decision to move to Ferrari.

It’s no secret that the team struggled to pay the Finn’s salary and point bonuses last season, and has fallen behind again this year. Nevertheless it was intriguing that he was so open about the issue in the public forum of a press conference. Now that he’s definitely leaving he has no reason to be coy about it.

“There was a lot of things and for sure they know what it is.” said Kimi when asked what Lotus could have done to keep him. “It’s hard to say which way it would have gone if that would have had happened but the deal’s done now, and I’m very happy with the new deal.”

Later he was asked why he continued to show up given that he had not been paid: “I like to race and then obviously that’s the only reason why I’m here; it doesn’t matter which team it is. The reasons why I left from the team is purely on the money side, that they haven’t got my salary, so it’s an unfortunate thing. But like I said, I want to try and help the team as much as I can and I like to race.”

Meanwhile Kimi seemed bemused by the fuss about his return to Ferrari.

“I just have to say things change in Formula One a lot. I never had a bad feeling with them really. But I mean I still have a lot friends and good memories from there. I knew that my contract will end at the end of this year, so obviously I had to make some kind of decision what to do for next year, and now it’s been done.

“I know the team and I know the people. Obviously there are some new people and some more have left since I was there, but most are the same. I don’t think this will be too difficult to go there and do well. The cars will be obviously different [in 2014] so I think that will be the most difficult thing, to get the cars right and get them running reliable, and whoever makes the best car will probably make the best out of it.”

Kimi says he sees no problems in the relationship with Fernando Alonso: “I don’t see the reason why it wouldn’t work. We are all old enough to know what we are doing and for sure the team is working for the right things to make sure. If there is something, I’m sure we can talk it through. It’s not like we are 20-year old guys any more. I might be wrong, but time will tell, but I’m pretty sure everything will be good.

“For sure, you always learn from different team mates; everyone does different things. Maybe they do something better than you but often there are a lot of things that only suit one guy and it doesn’t work if you try to do the same thing for yourself, it’s not going to work. I know the team, I know the people. Like I said, I have no worries to go there and have something that wouldn’t work. I don’t really worry about it, I’ve never worked with Alonso. I obviously know him from racing but I’m sure it will be fine.”

Raikkonen is confident that Ferrari will have a good turbo package in 2014.

“Obviously I hope so. They built very good cars and engines in the past, they’ve won a lot of championships as a team, and then you have to look on the other side at teams like Red Bull or Lotus with Renault who have done very well. It’s very hard to say which way it’s going to go with the new rules and who’s going to have the best package.

“There are a lot of stories about certain engines that will be much stronger than others, but there are so many different things that you have to look at and go through and make sure that it works that I have no idea which team will be strongest and which team will come out on top. We have to wait and see, really, for the first few tests.”

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September 11, 2013 · 2:45 pm

Alonso, Domenicali pay tribute to Massa

Fernando Alonso and Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali have both paid tribute to Felipe Massa, whose departure from the team was revealed yesterday.

“I want to thank Felipe for all the support he has given me and the team during this journey we have made together over all these years,” Alonso told the Ferrari website. “Come the end of the season, it will not be easy to say goodbye to a team-mate like him. He has always been truly professional and loyal to the team, and I am sure that right to the end, he will do his utmost for the Scuderia that he loves so much.”

Domenicali was equally positive: “I wish to thank Felipe with all my heart and also on behalf of all our fans around the world, for the extraordinary job he has done for the team over so many years. Felipe has always behaved like a real team player.

“Together we have lived through some great times and also a few dramatic moments, which have helped to cement a truly unique relationship on both a professional and personal level. He will always be part of our family and we wish him all the very best for the future.

“Now we must concentrate all our efforts on the remaining seven races of the season and we know that, as always, we can count on Felipe’s contribution, while we work together to reach our goals. Our determination will not waver one iota right to the very end.”

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