27/09/2005
NEWS STORY
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It was an altogether, slightly, more relaxed, Jean Todt, that sat down for the post-race debrief on Sunday evening.
Both Ferraris had finished in the points, with Michael Schumacher taking fourth, staying ahead of Fisichella's Renault
"You know, in a way it was a better feeling than the last few races," said the Frenchman, "because from Friday we saw that we were more competitive than we have been in the recent races. Mainly we saw it in free practice, we saw it partly in qualifying, even if in qualifying we could have been in a better position. But at the end, today, it hasn't changed a lot. We got the best out of our package. I think the results are quite significant so far."
"We have Alonso, who has had a fantastic season," he added, "he deserves to be Drivers' World Champion. I was looking carefully at the results. I think he failed to finish in just two races - otherwise he's been scoring points everywhere.
"Out of 17 Grands Prix, with the distribution of the points, he has been very strong. In the Manufacturers' Championship, I think the quickest package is now leading and we are third, which is, in a way, quite an acceptable surprise, considering who we have to face and the problems we had to face. I'm not happy about this situation but I would say it is a logical situation."
Asked if the Brazil performance gives him encouragement, ahead of Japan and China, he replied: "I hope that we can be in a better situation. We have been very conservative. It was decided with Bridgestone that we would use last year's specification of tyres and we will do some important testing this week with them, and hopefully all the work we have been doing with them will, sooner or later, give some good results.
"However," hew adds, "we will only be tyre testing."
Sunday saw two World Champions crowned, Fernando and Valentino Rossi. It was inevitable, following recent claims - and counter-claims - that Rossi's name would be mentioned. "So, Jean, what's happening with Rossi?"
"Ask him," comes the reply, without hesitation. "Ferrari has nothing to do with Valentino Rossi. We keep saying that every day, and every day we have the same question.
"Valentino Rossi, we admire him," he continues, "he's a great motorcycle champion. We have said that we are happy to make him happy. Full Stop. If one day Valentino Rossi wants to drive Formula One, it's up to him, and then if he is able to drive Formula One, and if we feel that he has winning potential in Formula One then we will talk with him - like we talk with other drivers for the future. But saying that, he did a fantastic championship again, and definitely he's the best motorcycle rider in the game. However, and this is a personal comment, the importance of tyres is very important in motorcycle racing as well, because incidentally, Capirossi won with Bridgestones the last two races."
Having mentioned the speculation regarding Rossi, what better time to mention Kimi Raikkonen's name.
"I'm not going to comment," he admits. "I'm not going to comment on speculation. I'm too old to change. Next year, we will have Michael with Felipe Massa. Michael will drive for Ferrari as long as he wants to drive in Formula One with Ferrari. That is not speculation and Felipe will have a tough job, but I think it's a fantastic opportunity for him as well, and then we will see what is happening in 2007 but something is sure, nobody will push us to say something before we want to say something."
Realizing that it no use pursuing the issue, Todt is asked about tyre for the final two races: "It will depend on the important testing we are doing this week at Paul Ricard, mainly."
Is he now putting 2005 aside and thinking ahead to 2006?
"Again, there are still two races," he replies. "It's very important to see what happens, with the big development programme we have had with Bridgestone. Then, for next year, we will try to do the best car possible. The best 2.4 V8 engine and hopefully make a big step together as well on the tyres with Bridgestone."
With Toyota and WilliamsF1 switching to Bridgestone, will this be useful to Ferrari?
"At least we will be able to share the development, the testing with them," he replies, "and then it will allow us to compare our package with their package. Because at the moment, as I have said several times, the only way of comparing is with Jordan and Minardi, and with all respect to them, it is not the same level of team, budget, facilities, so it's completely different."
Although he's not exactly jumping around with joy, the little Frenchman is clearly a little bit happier tonight, as he heads off for the team debrief.