(from autosport) Q. How is the new aero at the rear going? Felipe Massa: "In my opinion it's going fine. It does what it was supposed to, nothing that we didn't expect from the aerodynamics." Q. How many tenths difference compared to the more traditional F2008? FM: "It's hard to be precise. Maybe a couple of tenths, but it's hard to make a precise comparison. However it's definitely what we expected, and we must carry on working to develop other things, and also to work on the car's set-up. But we are where we wanted to be." Q. This is the aerodynamics package for Melbourne? FM: "Yes, this is what we have. Maybe we'll have something more, but not in the aerodynamics, but this is more or less the car we'll bring to Melbourne." Q. McLaren seemed to be slightly ahead in this test. FM: "There's nothing to say. We've finished our program, we've done what we wanted. In the end, laptimes are important but they aren't the most important thing. We are behind by a few thousandths, so we have things to improve on the car, and things to develop for the future. As I said, we are where we wanted to be, but we can't give up and we must carry on working." Q. What do you expect from the qualifying/race simulation you'll do tomorrow (Friday)? FM: "I can't say to win, because it's not a race. To finish the race and bring the data home is important, to see where we have to work for the car's reliability, but this simulation is more - let's say 90% about reliability of the car, and the rest just to remember all the things we do in a GP and in qualifying." Q. Are you nervous that the media indicate Ferrari as the team to beat? FM: "Absolutely not. Last year we were always the fastest and they would say Ferrari was the team to beat. So nothing changes, the approach is the same. We must think about doing our job and not think about what it's being written or said." Q. Is the new work about being faster or also about wearing the tyres better? FM: "Both. If you can do both you've done the job you were supposed to." Q. Do you still remember what it was like to drive with traction control or has that been forgotten already? FM: "No, I've forgotten it, I can't remember how it worked (laughs). We'll certainly go quicker now without it than with it." Q. Laptimes have decreased a lot. Considering the changes in the electronics, why is that? FM: "For sure the cars get developed. They improve aerodynamically. The regulations are the same as last year, and the only change is in the electronics. Driving the car without traction control for the first time compared to driving it now, it's incredible how much the driver's mind develops from one day to the next to then be able to do what the electronics did. So in the end this means that driving without electronics is fairly possible. "The only thing is that in the rain it's much harder really. Sometimes you enter a turn with less grip than the others, you don't expect to then become a passenger with nothing you can do about it. So that's one negative point of the lack of traction control. However, it's a lot of fun to drive the car now." Q. Have the tyres made a big step forward? FM: "The tyres are the same." Q. Is there a particular area in the car that can be improved? FM: "That always exists. We are working on the engine, on the chassis, on the aerodynamics. Everything must always be worked on." Q. The race starts? FM: "In the end we are very close to what we could do at the starts last year. So there won't be much of a difference." Q. Have the engineers found some trick? FM: "No, the drivers have got used to do with the pedal what the electronics used to do. As I said: it's incredible to see the cars' developments, but so is seeing the development of the drivers when the rules change." Q. Are you surprised by that? FM: "Yes, because from the first time I drove (without TC) to now you can see that you have understood how the car works without traction control." Q. Does it feel more satisfying? FM: "In the dry it does, but it doesn't in the wet." Q. You and the car look to be in shape. How are the mechanics, with all the pit stop simulations you've done? FM: "They're in shape. They must be! They'll make a lot of training, because if we lose seconds in the pitstops it's no good. So we must be in shape in all areas." Q. Do you think Fernando Alonso is right about Renault being so far behind? FM: "I don't know. If he says so... He is the one driving the car. I am happy about my car. I think we are doing a good job. I don't know if we are first, second or third, but I think we are heading in the right direction." Q. Do you think it's just a game between Ferrari and McLaren? FM: "We'll see in Melbourne. I don't want to say anything before the first race because maybe we may get some surprises." Q. Has the handling of the car changed with the new aero package? FM: "No, the handling is similar. It's just a little bit more downforce to make the car slightly quicker and slightly more consistent, but the handling is similar." Q. It's not a smaller window to operate the car or anything like that? FM: "We didn't change the car, we just improved the car, so it's just something that goes in the direction that you expect." Q. Do you think you feel more gain in the lower to middle speed corners than higher speed, or do you feel the gain more here, with the new package here? FM: "I think the gain is a little bit general, all over the corners. So for sure when you work like that you work for every corner, not for just one kind of corner. So I think it's in general."
No problem. He has insight into Ferrari, and a way to communicate this insight we don't get from Kimi. And Massa is right the potential of surprises. I think by the third race we will see many surprises. This will be great F1 season. (P.S. Tony did you see the photos of the McLaren collection at Donnington posted in the 1970-89 racing photo thread? Looks like very McLaren Senna drove is there)
