The new Ferrari to hit test track in mid. January

The new Ferrari will hit the testing track on the 14th of January next year, if all goes according to plan for the Maranello based squad.

Luca Baldisserri has confirmed to Italian newspaper La Stampa that the goal is to have two new cars on hand when they take to the Jerez circuit in Southern Spain in the first few weeks of the year as they aim at ensuring the best possible reliability for the new season.

It is well known that the F2007 was nowhere near as reliable as its championship winning predecessors and this in an issue that they plan to have addressed well and truly by the time the season opening Australian grand prix comes around in March.

At this time there is no official name for the new car or when the official launch will take place.


It has to be F2008. We haven't won a WC since 1978 with a car that wasn't F(Formula1)&year.

 

He also stated to the Stampa that both drivers will have equal status at least at the beginning.

 

Good to see that they will have equal status at least to start out with. If Kimi is able to show a clear dominance without the TC then give him the priority status to match his car number.

 

Luca Baldisserri has revealed that Ferrari's 2008 car, to be an 'evolution' of the current F2007, will be tested for the first time at Jerez on 14 January.

"For the first test we will be ready with two cars," the Italian, who is the Maranello based team's head of track activities, confirmed to the newspaper La Stampa.

He also said Kimi Raikkonen, the newly crowned world champion, will not enjoy number one status next year over team-mate Felipe Massa.

"The track will determine the hierarchy," he claimed. "The same as in the days of Schumacher.
Barrichello for example ended 2003 very strongly and began 2004 full of chances, but Michael won the first five races."

Despite the promotion of Stefano Domenicali to team boss, meanwhile, Jean Todt will still attend Grand Prix in 2008, Baldisserri said.

 

Equal status for Kimi and Phil??

I wonder, how can someone ON the Ferrari team know more than some of the people on FChat that do not think Massa is any good? Do you think Baldesserri has some insider information?

Do you think maybe he knows more than we do about his team's drivers?

Do you think maybe some of the people on FChat are blowing smoke through some dark cavity??

I suggest the later is the most likely. ;}

 

Now Ron, look at the upper left hand corner of this post. That's the WDC. Now in your mind count down 4 places. That's where Massa is, and by the grace of good equipment.

It's going to be a long winter.

 

I have almost never been crazy about this idea. If one driver is clearly doing better, as Kimi has begun to do since the midpoint of this season, he should get the backing from the team. Once Kimi got the car to handle the way he wanted it to, he gave a master class to Felipe. However, I would really like to see Felipe do well next season, but I still want Kimi to have back-to-back championships.

 

Simply not true based on facts. I'd show you the sheet with the season's progress per driver (it's somewhere here in this section). And who was on pole and leading most of the time in Brasil?
I think Kimi has to prove he can beat Massa in a straight fight. Let's wait and see how this evolves and if the banning of TC has any influence.

Edit: here's my post which shows Massa was a match for Kimi: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=137164557&postcount=56

 

I too think this is the proper way to begin the season.

Carol

 

I agree, there wasn't race were Massa was outclassed by Raikkonen. Unlike 2006, when there were many times Schumacher outclassed Massa.

 

+1...fight was so even is hard to tell...I think Phil has the touch...let the battle begin. cant wait for Australia!

 

i like how kimi doesn't give a crap one way or the other. He is going to just show up and drive. No crying like a certain lady from spain.