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Ferrari technical team talks about the F60 and 2009

NEWS STORY
13/01/2009

Following Stefano Domenicali's press conference, and the F60's maiden run, the men responsible for the car, leading technicians - Gilles Simon, Nikolas Tombazis and Aldo Costa - spoke to the media at Mugello.

The assembled media wanted to know more about the regulations concerning the engines: there will be eight engines for every driver over the whole season. But will they be all the same?
Simon: "As of 2009 the engine speed is limited to 18,000 rpm and every driver can use up to eight engines over the 17 GPs of this Championship. Therefore distance target for each unit is now around 2,500 kilometres."

The F60 is a single-seater which is very different to the previous ones, due to the 2009 regulations. Will Ferrari make more use of the test stands in its factory?
Costa: "The work at the test stands will be more important than in the previous years. We've several facilities to test sub-components and complete groups; that's where we'll do most of the work. The race track is and remains the final test. We'll work a lot before the start of the Championship, just like last year; but this time we'll concentrate our work on one car in five test sessions. During the season we'll have the Fridays to set up the cars for the circuit and for development."

This year the single-seater is completely different from the ones in the past. Is the team happy with the result or did you have to compromise?
Costa: "Last year we were fighting for the Championship until the last race and we were concentrated a lot on the car's development. Today we presented a complete car, which refers also to the level of the engine speed, fitted with KERS; although we had very short time. I want to congratulate everybody: Gilles, Nikolas and everybody at Maranello. We managed to be the first having a crash test and we have several homologated chassis. We tried as much as possible to cover the time gap between the developments, which have been done on the car at the end of last year.

Do you think that this year, considering the changes, it won't be possible to redo the car during the season to make up an eventual disadvantage at the start?
Costa: "We're used to thinking that we can still work on a technical level; so as far as we concerned it's possible."
Tombazis: "Many rules, as far as the aerodynamics are concerned, are completely new. The speed of development will be the main issue. Whoever knows how to develop faster will be better than the others. We can work on the development in the Fridays at every GP. Before the season there's still some good margin. And if we're ahead at the first race, it means that we can keep our cool."

What was the Team's reaction in terms of cost cutting?
Costa: "The rules have been changed recently; we have to rethink our working methods and the programs; this has to be done gradually, without rushing things; we have to evolve the Team's structure.

What will your development program look like now? How many aerodynamic tests will there be this year? And does the car just seem longer than last year's?
Costa: "The development program will continue with the five tests we've planned at the race tracks of Portimao, Bahrain, again Bahrain, then Jerez and Barcelona. We can have eight aerodynamic tests this year, which means eight days where we can test as far as this issue is concerned.
Tombazis: "As far as the single-seater's length is concerned I have to say that the wheelbase is something really overrated. It's not that important at all. But anyway, the fact that the car is longer is only a visual effect."

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