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Post by blacktulip on May 19, 2009 18:47:15 GMT
Kimi Raikkonen believes Ferrari can realistically aim for a podium finish again from the Monaco Grand Prix following its big step forward in pace at Barcelona.
Having made its worst start to a season for 16 years after scoring just three points in the opening four races, the world champion squad introduced a major F60 upgrade at the last round and Felipe Massa qualified a season-high fourth before finishing sixth in the race.
Raikkonen believes the team is now back within striking distance of the top three and is hopeful it will continue that upward trend on Monte Carlo’s twisty streets.
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Post by blacktulip on May 20, 2009 16:50:02 GMT
from ITV sport
A French court has thrown out Ferrari’s bid to prevent the FIA introducing the optional £40 million budget cap next season.
The Maranello outfit, which last week threatened to quit Formula 1 if the 2010 rules are introduced as planned, claimed that the governing body had broken a contractual arrangement with the team by introducing the radical changes without its consent.
However, a Paris court announced on Wednesday afternoon that it had rejected the injunction request after hearing legal representations from both Ferrari and the FIA yesterday.
The FIA is now clear to proceed with the opening of the application process for 2010 grid places on Friday, with teams given a week to submit entries for the 13 places up for grabs next season.
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Post by blacktulip on May 20, 2009 16:51:04 GMT
Ferrari has mocked the line-up of teams planning on entering Formula 1 under the budget cap – suggesting the sport would be better being renamed ‘Formula GP3’ if such a grid took shape from 2010.
The world champion squad is stringently opposed to the FIA’s regulations for next year – which as currently stand will see teams running under the £40m cost cap handed technical freedoms – and is one of four team owners which has vowed to quit unless the rules are scrapped.
And before finding out on Wednesday that it had failed in its bid to take out an injunction against the changes, Ferrari issued a provocative statement on its website ridiculing the concept of a grid dominated by small independent outfits, claiming it doubted fans would pay to watch such a line-up race.
“They couldn't almost believe their eyes, the men and women working at Ferrari, when they read the papers this morning and found the names of the teams, declaring that they have the intention to race in Formula 1 in the next year,” it said in the statement.
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Post by blacktulip on May 20, 2009 16:52:05 GMT
“Looking at the list, which leaked yesterday from Paris, you can't find a very famous name, one of those one has to spend 400 Euros per person for a place on the grandstand at a GP (plus the expenses for the journey and the stay) [too watch].”
While British car maker Lola, F3 outfit Litespeed and the US-based F1 operation have already confirmed they will enter applications for the newly expanded 13-team grid in 2010, further hopefuls have emerged following Tuesday’s injunction hearing in Paris.
Ferrari confirmed the new prospective entrants include former Simtek team owner and designer Nick Wirth; Spanish sportscar outfit Epsilon Euskadi; motorsport engineering company Ray Mallock Ltd; German tool and construction firm Formtech and GP2 teams Campos and iSport.
The Italian team reckons the sport would be devalued if the big car makers were no longer a dominant presence.
“Wirth Research, Lola, USF1, Epsilon Euskadi, RML, Formtech, Campos, iSport: these are the names of the teams, which should compete in the two-tier Formula 1 wanted by Mosley,” its statement added.
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Post by blacktulip on May 20, 2009 16:54:04 GMT
One must now ask the question
Is it put up or shut up time for Ferrari, looks like their bluff has been called this time
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Post by blacktulip on May 22, 2009 13:42:52 GMT
It will be most interesting to see how this pans out
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