11/09/2005
NEWS STORY
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In Ferrari's post-race press release, Ross Brawn expressed the feeling of the Italian team: "It was a day when some opportunities presented themselves," said the Englishman, "but we did not take all of those that came our way."
With Michael Schumacher crashing out after 13 laps, and Rubens Barrichello picking up four, albeit very welcome, points, on a day when it was thought the red cars might catch their opponents on the hop, it was obvious that Jean Todt would be far from happy with the end result.
"Even if I don't like to make these kind of assessments, it is definitely not our year," he admitted. "Today we had a better package than you saw. If you see where Michael was when he had his problem, how competitive he was in the first part of the race behind Alonso. Unfortunately, and we were not the only ones, we put dry tyres on his car when the safety car came onto the track, and he realised that it was not going to work, so we put him back on intermediate tyres. Button, who finished third, was behind him. Unfortunately Sato was behind him as well, so Button didn't affect him, but Sato did, and unfortunately the race was over.
"Michael is normally quite cool, but the way he reacted is quite significant," admitted the Frenchman, "because he missed an opportunity, and we know that we haven't had so many opportunities this year, so that was one.
"But again, today, we saw how important the tyres are, but you know, clearly, our ambition is just as great as it was a few races ago. Our ambition is to finish third in the Manufacturers' championship and in this respect we took two points more than Toyota and we definitely hope we can improve the situation by the end of the season. The last three last Grands Prix will depend on the work we do with Bridgestone, but saying that, we are working hard on the car and for the future: on the V8 and the normal programme, in order that we try to leave '05 as a bad year among the whole period and to start with a good year again in 06."
Asked if he was encouraged by the performance in qualifying, he is quick to respond: "No, no good," he says. "The performance in qualifying was no good. But again, it's clear, you saw today, it's quit easy to analyse, when Webber or Klien were on on dry tyres, it was immediate lap times. It took Rubens two laps… so we know that with those specific tyres, it takes time before they get up to temperature.
"We did not see that, but I think the competitors had much more graining after the first lap, but we did not see that because we did very few laps. In a way I was quite positively surprised to see Michael only one second behind the pole because taking into account how difficult it is to be on the right temperature for the first lap, it was not bad, but it was definitely not what we want."
It was clear that Michael was very angry following the clash with Sato, for which the Japanese driver was subsequently punished. What did he say to Todt on his return to the Ferrari garage?
"He asked if I could bring forward the meeting with the stewards, so that he could leave earlier," admits the Frenchman. "He called me. Normally I don't answer the phone on the pit wall but it was vibrating in my pocket so after a while I said OK, let's try to see who it is, maybe it's good advice to win the race. But it was just that he was trying to escape from the circuit earlier.
"They listened to him, they listened to Sato and from what I heard, but I didn't see any official documents, Sato will lose ten positions (on the grid) in his next race. But Michael is going to start (qualifying) third, which is no good, in Brazil."
It's pointed out that Sato subsequently claimed that Schumacher hit him: "I didn't see that," says Todt. "He didn't mention that to me, but I don't think he did that. From what I saw on the TV, I didn't see that."
Michelin has said it will supply five teams next year, so presumably there will be more Bridgestone runners next year. Will Ferrari work with these teams and cut down on the amount of private tyre testing that it does?
"We also heard that this weekend," he replies, "so we need to listen more what is going to happen and then we can make up our minds."
Following the news that Red Bull has bought Minardi, it appears that there are an increasing number of teams that are aligned with Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA for the future Concorde Agreement. Todt is asked if he is encouraged that that group will prevail?
"All I would say is that that is a sign of things moving in the right direction for the extension of the renewal of the Concorde Agreement among some teams, and I'm sure it's not finished," he says. "It's good. Dieter Mateschitz's bravery is admirable. It's already brave to take over one team but to take two is impressive."
Ferrari is supplying engines to Red Bull Racing next year, so is there any possibility that now Mr Mateschtiz has another team could Ferrari supply it too?
"No, not even the V10," he responds, without hesitation. "I don't think it's his intention anyway, so it's not something we've been considering."
With Peter Sauber having sold his team to BMW, we will see less of the genial Swiss in 2006. Todt is asked his feelings of the man to whom he has supplied engines for so many years.
"There are still three races to go," he says, smiling. "And I know there is a big party organised by Credit Suisse for him on the Thursday before the Chinese Grand Prix.
"I will definitely miss my weekly meeting with him during the Grand Prix weekends," he admits. "Yesterday he came to see me and he was a bit nostalgic and he will still come to some Grands Prix. He did a great job. He was saying to me 39 years in the business, being able to give continuity by selling out to a strong company like BMW, so I think it's a great achievement, but personally I had a very good relationship. I may say we became friends. I don't have so many friends in this business, so… I think that sometimes you have to decide to stop, particularly if you have a business which you are able, after a big investment, to get something out, to give some value, and to give some value for you and for the people who are going to be there. It's a big reward for him."
Asked if he will miss (Minardi boss) Paul Stoddart, who has sold his team to Red Bull, Todt's response is abrupt and unflinching. "No," he snaps.
Asked to elaborate, he replies: "Not really. You asked me a question. I don't think he's given anything to Formula One.
"You asked me a question about Peter Sauber," he continues. "He was a racer. Paul Stoddart, I had a few opportunities at the beginning when he took over Minardi to meet him. Then he came a few times with the two-seater and allowed Michael to…"
He pauses.
"I would say I changed my feeling over the last period, so I will not miss him," he adds.
But what about the loss of the Minardi name, the fourth oldest team, and a team with a strong connection with Ferrari in the past.
"Myself, I am not so keen on names and things like that," he admits. "For me it's not important, not relevant. So what I feel is good for the team, rather than the name, that a strong investor is taking over and I'm sure he's going to give that good continuity, so it's good for Formula One, so in that respect, if you take the pluses and the minuses, it's a big plus for the team and for Formula One.