11/01/2012
NEWS STORY
Weeks ahead of the launch of his team's 2012 challenger, Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali admits the car won't be pretty but will hopefully be a winner.
Not having won a title since 2008, and not even runner up in the last three Constructors' Championships, much is at stake this season for the winningest team in the sport's sixty-three year history.
Nobody knows that better than Domenicali, however, he refuses to be intimidated and knows what the team must achieve.
"Going into a season suffering from anxiety does not help and it's an attitude that serves no purpose," he told reporters today at Madonna di Campiglio. "Clearly, this will be a tricky year, but that is part of any sport, even more so when one looks at the environment in which Ferrari operates.
"There are expectations that need to be managed as well as possible and I am well aware that the emotional aspect is very important in a team like ours. But that will not change my approach: we will not get over excited if things go well, nor will we be down if we have some difficulties, especially at the start, because we know this is going to be a very long season. We must stay grounded and calm, maintaining our motivation and concentration.
"Of course, winning is our primary objective and I believe we are preparing ourselves in the right way for this. Everyone is working hard on improving the performance of the car, paying great attention to every little detail. I expect even those who have just joined us to make a significant contribution to what is already a strong group of people. Because once in a while a breath of fresh air can liven things up."
When asked to describe the new car that will be launched 3 February, he said: "It's definitely different, because it represents a clear break with the past in terms of the design philosophy. It's not that pretty, because the shape defined by the technical regulations does not leave much scope, but, and this is what counts really, our hopes are that it is at the very least quick!
"I asked our engineers, as far back as last summer to look into every little nook and cranny of the rules to push it to the limit, but up until we see the other cars we will not know if we have taken it to the limit or are within it.
"Then, to really understand the hierarchy we will have to wait for qualifying in Melbourne," he added. "We must always bear in mind that the times one sees from testing are not always what they seem. At Jerez and the two Barcelona tests, we can get a rough idea but nothing more."