14/03/2012
NEWS STORY
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No doubt Ron Dennis will want to forget it, but way back in 1997 McLaren pulled out all the stops when launching its new car, the MP4-12. The event, held at Alexandra Palace in north London, saw the Spice Girls dancing around the car at an event that resembled an MTV bash more than an F1 launch. It was to be a dismal year for the Woking team, which finished fourth in the standings, courtesy of two wins from David Coulthard.
Then there was Sauber, which in 2004 launched its C23 inside Dietrich Mateschitz' Hangar 7 with the aid of the Sugarbabes and some giant dancing springs. Again, the 'glitzy' launch preceded a disappointing season, the Swiss outfit finishing sixth in the championship, albeit one spot behind McLaren.
Ferrari, unlike its fellow Italian team Benetton, has tended to go for low key affairs. The cover is removed, the drivers smile, Luca di Montezemolo talks, the tifosi holds its breath and Italy crosses its fingers.
This year however, the weather gods saw fit to scupper the launch of the F2012, snow and ice causing the Maranello outfit to cancel the event at the last minute.
While some might see this as an omen, claiming that OTT launches signify a season of frustration and that therefore no launch must mean untold success, many remain highly sceptical.
While performance during testing was uninspiring, the noises coming out of Maranello are contradictory.
As Luca di Montezemolo calls for calm, and Stefano Domenicali calls for understanding, the noise emanating from an (already under pressure) Felipe Massa is somewhat different.
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