20/03/2013
NEWS STORY
Despite a strong showing in Melbourne, which sees his team leading the Constructors' Championship, Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali warns against complacency.
Although Felipe Massa lost out in the pit stops the Maranello outfit came away from Australia having widely impressed, particularly when one thinks back to last year.
However, days later, as the Italian team prepares for the second round of the championship, Domenicali is fully aware of the task at hand.
"The first Grand Prix weekend of the season in Australia was a positive one for us as," he told the team's website. "We had previously stated that our objective was to finish on the podium and that target was achieved.
"We witnessed a weekend that was very unusual, with qualifying on Saturday and Sunday delivering a snapshot of the order that proved to be completely different come Sunday evening after the race," her continued. "But, it was important to see both our drivers deliver strong performances, as it provides a great basis on which we can build a competitive season and I'm pleased for both of them.
"Seeing Ferrari heading the Constructors' Championship is a great reward for the people who have been working so hard, both here at the track and back home in Maranello. But it's only the first step in a very long season and now is the time to analyse and evaluate all the data from Melbourne in order to be immediately ready for this coming weekend.
"Sepang is a very different track and our plan is to make the most of the package that we have," he added. "We need to wait and see how our car will behave in what is a totally different environment: the track will make different demands on the cars to the ones we experienced in Australia, with a change in track surface and the unique weather conditions, very hot and humid, will also impact on everyone's performance this weekend. We know what is required here and we will need the usual compromise in terms of downforce levels to deal with both the tighter section and the two long fast straights."
To date there have been fourteen Grands Prix at Sepang and Ferrari has won six of them, more than any other team, dating back to Eddie Irvine's victory in the maiden event in 1999, through to Fernando Alonso's win last year.
On that occasion, the Spaniard started from eighth on the grid, the lowest position that has ever ended in victory here. It was his third Sepang win, the first two coming in 2005 and 2007 with Renault and McLaren.
Whatever happens on Sunday, this will be a special weekend for the man from Oviedo, as it marks his two hundredth Grand Prix.