Would you consider Ferrari an underdog in F1?

Don't forget Midlands, Red Bull, and STR, with no car companies at all backing them. (Crate engines)

I think for 2007, all the teams are underdogs. Too many personnel changes across the grid.

 

I'am sorry, but i dont see how u can say ferrari are the underdogs ! They have many of the best facilities, they are the only team to have a private test track, they have the most employees in there racing division (900 to 1000).
In 2006 there total spending was the 2nd highest at $407 million (toyota were 1st, spending $418 million). But its unclear if this figure includes Schumi salary ($40 million), which is reported to be covered by Shell as a part of there sponsorship deal..
In fact, Ferrari have been the most attractive team for sponsorship for a while now, pulling the biggest deals in the pits. In 2006 they had 3 of the top 5 biggest sponsorship deals (marlboro $150m , vodaphone $55m, shell $40+m)

You also have to remember that its very easy for Ferrari to attract the best engineers and technicians, lets face it, who would not love to work for Ferrari and get payed vast amounts for it !

I also feel that your seriously underestimating the Fiat Group (Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Ferrari, Maserati, CNH, Iveco, Magneti Marelli, Comau, Teksid, Itedi)
Fiat admitily have had some problems in the last few years, which they now seem to have turned around, and they are a truly globle brand. Infact, the only place they dont seem to trade as Fiat is North America!

If any team should be called the the underdogs it must be Renault. They have the 6th highest budget out off the 11 current teams after all.

 

I don't get it either.

It doesn't matter if Daimler-Chrysler or Toyota is writing a big check, or Uncle Joe is writing a big check, regardless, money is money.
I'd say they do quite well on the limited budget they have (sic).

 

Actually I have heard opinions from people who understand F1 saying that Ferrari is the Ueberdog: They're the only car manufacturer who's goal it is to win F1 and do it at all cost. While other manufacturers (eg. Renault) increase or decrease their budgets based on how their car sales and the economy in France is doing, Ferrari can and does full out all the time.

Ferrari doesn't do marketing, but I'm sure if we had a look inside their accounting books the entire F1 team is in there as a write off expense for marketing. As it should, because wins in F1 sell street cars.

 

Therein lies the difference between Ferrari and Porsche. Ferrari made street cars to support his race effort, and Porsche went racing to sell street cars...

As for the excellent question as to whether Ferrari can be considered an underdog, they did finish last year with one of the best cars but I agree with DGS in that there are many personnel changes affecting all the teams so it will be interesting this year...in less than a month(THANK GOD!)it'll will all start sorting itself out....

 

I beg to differ - Ferrari do marketing, and do it exceptionally well. What they don't do is advertise, but they are active in many other areas: sponsorship, endorsement, merchandising, retail, events, brand licencing - the list goes on.

Additionally, Enzo Ferrari himself was in my view an unheralded brand-marketing pioneer: he understood unexpressed wants and needs of his consumer, neatly summed up how consumer based segmented, and instinctively knew his brand's USP, as these quotes show:

"I make cars for young men that only old men can afford"
"I make engines. The cars come for free"
"I will make one fewer car than I can sell"

I do agree with the focus though - all activity plays back to the track - racing is Ferrari's essence.

Ben.

 

You're right of course, unprecise choice of words on my part: They do marketing, but not advertise.

Regarding merchandising: I can see that being part of marketing, but in Ferrari's case it is also a huge source of income: They're rumoured to take in about 50 million US just based on that. I don't think any other race team comes even close to that. The Ueberdog scores again.

 

I agree: Ferrari is an underdog. But it´s a 50 years old underdog.

 

Underdog? Have you been following F1 for the past decade? Perhaps this was a more appropriate question to ask prior to the Schumacher era. Now, they are arguably the team to beat, and have been the team to beat for so many years now.

To add to what tifosi12 is saying................they are the ONLY team that I would say is a Formula 1 team first and foremost, and a manufacturer second.

 

How about Spyker?

I have to admit that I totally fell in love with these guys: Ferrari engines in their F1 cars and rumored to soon have Ferrari engines in their street cars, which btw I think are beyond cool.

 

I'll be honest when I say that I don't know much about the Spyker brand..............I only first heard of them when their Spyder was introduced to the world within the last few years.

I will say that I have a huge amount of respect for them for getting into Formula 1..............nothing says more to me about a manufacturer's intentions than getting into the pinnacle of motor racing, especially a car company of that size.

Replacing their Audi engines with Ferrari engines is a step in the right direction, however they need to get to the point of developing and manufacturing their own engines, which I have to imagine is part of their plan.

 

Merchandising is an incredible form of both promotion and income for Ferrari - I read somewhere that Ferrari merchandise outsells all other teams by a factor of 10:1 at all Grand Prix. Überdog indeed...

 

Amen to that.

Tells you something about the "seriousness" of Audi, Porsche, Subaru and the likes.

 

A little OT, but that is the same reason that, when the great Supercar market surge settles, Ferrari will remain atop the pile.

 

Yep.

This is what 60 years of motorsports does for you.

I'd bet if you had a poll on your city streets and asked folks 'what kind of car do you dream of owning if price was no object ?' and you list Bugatti, McLaren, Lamborghini, Spyker, Lotus, Viper, Corvette, Ferrari, the winner would (easily) be Ferrari.

Name recognition.

Lotus is not far away from dropping totally off the map.

 

No so long ago Jean Todt said in an interview that there would not be a road car engine deal for Spyker...

 

The second biggest budget in F1 an underdog?

 

In a word: no.