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[Gaz]

Ferrari not ruling out writing off '09

By Jonathan Noble Sunday, April 19th 2009, 12:30 GMT

Felipe Massa's car at the Chinese GPFerrari boss Stefano Domenicali says the Italian team may switch its development focus onto the 2010 car as early as next month if its fortunes do not improve dramatically in the next few races.

The Maranello-based outfit has failed to score a point in the first three races of the season, its worst start to a campaign since 1981, and is now facing a very tough challenge to get itself back in the championship hunt.

Speaking at Shanghai on Sunday night, Domenicali refused to rule out the possibility of the team abandoning the development push on its 2009 car if matters do not improve when a double-decker diffuser version of its F60 is raced for the first time at the Spanish Grand Prix.

When asked at what point the team would decide whether to start concentrating on the 2010 car, Domenicali said: "I think for sure we will see after Spain where we are. In that period we will see really what can be the situation - so when we come back to Europe basically."

Although much has been made of the advantage that the 'diffuser gang' of Brawn GP, Williams and Toyota have enjoyed in the first races of the season, Domenicali does not believe that copying their rear-end concept will be the whole answer to Ferrari's woes.

"No. The situation is much more complicated than that," he said. "That device will give you a benefit. But it would be wrong to believe that it is the only key. We have seen, for example, the Red Bull car has done a really great job.

"They had more time, they switched their project much earlier than us and that is the reality and we need to consider it. The other thing that we have to understand well is that today in certain conditions, look at the first part of the race, our car was not too bad at all. So we need to understand a lot of things."

Domenicali added that he would not be forced into a panic about Ferrari's situation, or revise the team's targets for the season.

"I think we have to wait," he said. "We need to stay cool. It is not easy, I know, but we need to stay cool because there are too many things that can change very quickly. The priority number one is to move from zero points."

To be fair why bother stoping developing in 09 the regs arn't chaning that much and they can use the 09 car as a test bed for new parts and evolve it?

[FerrariFan63]

I'd guess that the '09 car is fundamentally unsuitable for the current interpretation of the regulations. So that even if the '09 car was developed, they'd still have to develop a radically different car for '10. And with testing banned for the season, the opportunity to make decisive improvements to the car in a short time span might not be there.

Furthermore, we've seen that the teams who are doing best this year are those who wrote off the '08 season and started on their '09 cars early. Perhaps Ferrari have learned this lesson.

Personally I think Ferrari writing off '09 could be a positive thing. As I think the chance of Ferrari challenging for the '09 season to be small, and getting dramatically smaller each race. And there could be a big payoff for this strategy next year.

[Frosty]

I'm not too surprised about this if it turns out the Ferrari, McLaren and BMW are fundamentally flawed and can't be competitive then I wouldn't be surprised if they switched development to the 2010 car quite early on.

[bud]

with the regs not changing much at all the 2010 cars will be evolutions of the 09 cars and not "new species" as this years cars were. So any developments for next year would be beneficial to test now at races and not in the wind tunnel or computer sims. So all in all developing the 2010 car is to develop this years car.

[FerrariFan63]

with the regs not changing much at all the 2010 cars will be evolutions of the 09 cars and not "new species" as this years cars were. So any developments for next year would be beneficial to test now at races and not in the wind tunnel or computer sims. So all in all developing the 2010 car is to develop this years car.

Wrong, as mentioned above. The double decker diffusers require a particular design of the rear end of the car. Those that have suitable rear ends can refine their '09 car into an '10 car. Those that don't need a considerable redesign. What has changed is not the regulations themselves, but the understanding of the regulations. So that for some teams, Ferrari being one, things have changed considerably.

[Denthúl]

with the regs not changing much at all the 2010 cars will be evolutions of the 09 cars and not "new species" as this years cars were. So any developments for next year would be beneficial to test now at races and not in the wind tunnel or computer sims. So all in all developing the 2010 car is to develop this years car.

Wrong, as mentioned above. The double decker diffusers require a particular design of the rear end of the car. Those that have suitable rear ends can refine their '09 car into an '10 car. Those that don't need a considerable redesign. What has changed is not the regulations themselves, but the understanding of the regulations. So that for some teams, Ferrari being one, things have changed considerably.

I thought they were going to work on closing up that loophole for next season?

[8-ball]

I'd guess that the '09 car is fundamentally unsuitable for the current interpretation of the regulations. So that even if the '09 car was developed, they'd still have to develop a radically different car for '10. And with testing banned for the season, the opportunity to make decisive improvements to the car in a short time span might not be there.

Furthermore, we've seen that the teams who are doing best this year are those who wrote off the '08 season and started on their '09 cars early. Perhaps Ferrari have learned this lesson.

Personally I think Ferrari writing off '09 could be a positive thing. As I think the chance of Ferrari challenging for the '09 season to be small, and getting dramatically smaller each race. And there could be a big payoff for this strategy next year.

BMW wrote off 08 to focus on 09 and they are not in the best of shape. I think it is too early for the to write off the season, surely they can make some modifications when they get to Europe rather than writing off the season now.

[FerrariFan63]

I thought they were going to work on closing up that loophole for next season?

Source? That would change things considerably. There would still be complexities to consider and discuss, but let's clarify this bit first.

[Frosty]

I thought they were going to work on closing up that loophole for next season?

Source? That would change things considerably. There would still be complexities to consider and discuss, but let's clarify this bit first.

As far as I'm aware it would have to be a unanimous agreement between all the teams in the technical working group for a regulation change for the next season so it would only take one team to say no and it couldn't be changed!

[bud]

with the regs not changing much at all the 2010 cars will be evolutions of the 09 cars and not "new species" as this years cars were. So any developments for next year would be beneficial to test now at races and not in the wind tunnel or computer sims. So all in all developing the 2010 car is to develop this years car.

Wrong, as mentioned above. The double decker diffusers require a particular design of the rear end of the car. Those that have suitable rear ends can refine their '09 car into an '10 car. Those that don't need a considerable redesign. What has changed is not the regulations themselves, but the understanding of the regulations. So that for some teams, Ferrari being one, things have changed considerably.

Wrong? typical!
dont you think track testing new designs for the 2010 season would be beneficial? And arent all teams already redesigning this seasons cars with double decker diffusers? which would then lead on to 2010 developments!

[FerrariFan63]

Wrong? typical!
dont you think track testing new designs for the 2010 season would be beneficial? And arent all teams already redesigning this seasons cars with double decker diffusers? which would then lead on to 2010 developments!

What on earth does this have to do with your previous claims that "with the regs not changing much at all the 2010 cars will be evolutions of the 09 cars and not "new species" as this years cars were."?

Yes, track testing new designs for 2010 would be beneficial. That's the whole point of writing off a year, to be maximally prepared for the following year. But testing 2010 parts on a significantly different 2009 car (e.g. unsuitable for double decker diffuser) will not maximise 2009 performance and results. That's why it may be sensible for teams to write off the 2009 season.

[bud]

If you dont understand then theres no point continuing.

[FerrariFan63]

If you dont understand then theres no point continuing.

Good to see you admitting defeat. Now let's see you do the time some more of the many times a day you get pwned on this forum

[bud]

If you dont understand then theres no point continuing.

Good to see you admitting defeat. Now let's see you do the time some more of the many times a day you get pwned on this forum

Na you see i dont feel the need to try and educate you when all you do is turn it into stabs at me!

[Gaz]

If you dont understand then theres no point continuing.

Good to see you admitting defeat. Now let's see you do the time some more of the many times a day you get pwned on this forum

Sorry but your wrong here you obviously don't get it.

If you have a car right that s*** why not use that car to test better bits as part of your 2010 prep not saying they make a B=Spec Ferrari just new ideas and evolve them its not like theres a big regs change in 2008 i could understand this but in 2009 it just seams stupid.