25/01/2014
NEWS STORY
Fully aware of the "enormous pressure" his team is under, Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali insists that it is vital his team remains fully focussed.
"This year, the technical challenge, as far as I remember, is the biggest we have seen in the last decade(s) of Formula One," he says as the wraps are removed from the team's 2014 contender. "Connected to this challenge is the opportunity to make sure that this challenge is taken in the right way by our engineers.
"We have a totally new powertrain, we have a new set of regulations that are very interesting but have to be studied in depth in order to make sure that we have the opportunity to improve the level of performance. This is what I've asked of all my people here in Maranello."
At a time when Martin Whitmarsh appears to have paid the price for McLaren's failure, the likeable Italian is aware that he too is rapidly running out of time.
"For sure, in the last couple of years the changes we have made to the organisation, in the investment that we've made in Formula One, has been very important, very significant. Some of these changes have been more spectacular in terms of some of the names that were known in the Formula One world, some others were less, but nevertheless, very important.
"The changes don't only apply to the people but also in terms of investment in the new windtunnel, the simulation tools and other stuff that is very important to ensure the engineers can really make the difference.
"However, we also need to keep at the highest level the things that were very good in the past, like the approach to strategy.
"This year will be more complex because we have to add into the equation a new car with a new system with a new approach to fuel efficiency, which has to be dealt with in the best way we can, and also the work of the pit stops. So these things have to be consolidated and I'm expecting from our engineers a better integration, to know, to make sure that we can really do a good job.
"The season will be very long," he continues. "Very, very long, and therefore it is important to start with a very reliable car at the beginning and then keep having the development on the aerodynamic side that was not there last year.
"I'm expecting the first days of testing to be very challenging for everyone," he admits, "a lot of things to be tested, a lot of things to be checked. The most important thing we have to avoid is to fall under the big pressure that we have. This has to be very clear, we have to stay focussed on the job and ensure we do the best job that we can because the company has given us everything to ensure we can do a good job.
"Therefore, it's maximum concentration, do not be distracted by the enormous pressure that we have, we know what Ferrari represents for us and also for the world of Formula One.
Check out the F14 T gallery, here.