FERRARI On Rain Tire Problem And Raikkonen Helping Massa

(from autosport)

RAIN TIRE PROBLEM

Ferrari admit that improving the way their car uses its tyres must be a priority for this week's private test at Mugello, amid fears it could cost them the championship.

The F2008 has struggled to get its tyres into their operating window as well as the McLaren does, and that has left Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen facing difficulties in cooler and wet races.

And after being unable to capitalise on McLaren's troubles in the rain-hit Italian Grand Prix because of the tyre issue, Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali thinks it is important they don't stumble again if there is rain in any of the final four races.

"Unfortunately there is a characteristic of the car that it is maybe not able to generate in certain conditions the right temperature for the tyres to be able to work," said Domenicali. "And that's the main issue that we have.

"We have seen it, both with grooved tyres in Germany and here in Monza with this temperature and with these conditions. Unfortunately there is only one more test that we can do in order to see what we can do in order to improve the situation for the last four races of the season.

"Then the other and most important thing that we have to think is really how we want to attack this problem for the future, that means for next year's car which is a completely different project.

"We need to make something that will help the tyre to work in these conditions, because we will have them, for sure."

When asked if he felt Ferrari's wet weather struggles meant Lewis Hamilton was now favourite for the championship if there is rain in the final events, Domenicali said: "I don't know.

"For sure Hamilton did a very good race, a fantastic race. He was very, very fast and above all very, very consistent.

"I don't know (the answer) because in rainy conditions you have not only the technical side to control, you may have different situations that you have to handle.

"So for sure it's not really the atmosphere that we would like to race with. The rain and cold. we cannot do anything about that, so the only thing we have to do is work very hard and see what we can do to improve our situation in these conditions."


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ON RAIKKONEN HELPING MASSA

Ferrari have no doubts that Kimi Raikkonen will do all he can to help Felipe Massa win this year's world championship, even though the Finn is publicly playing down the supporting role he now has to play.

Raikkonen has not admitted that he has to play number two to Massa in the remaining four races of the season, but team principal Stefano Domenicali is sure that the Finn knows what is expected of him for the remainder of the campaign.

"I've always said that our main interest is the team," explained Domenicali. "Of course, that's the most important thing and the drivers know it.

"At this moment, at this stage, you can see that we haven't, in our situation, taken away points from one or the other, and for sure, considering from now up to the end of the season, in the way that it's possible to do, of course Kimi will do his best to be as aggressive as possible but also consider the fact that Felipe is much closer to the leader, Lewis."

Massa, who is currently just one point behind Hamilton in the title battle, says his approach to the remaining races will not change in spite of Raikkonen's help.

"Well, for sure I am doing my job and it won't change anything on my ideas or the way I work," he said. "I am always getting to the race thinking of the win and getting the most points possible. That is the way it works.

"I am in a reasonably good position in the championship and hopefully we can think like that. Today I finished in front of Kimi, so it was a positive thing, and I finished in front of Hamilton and that was it. At the end of the day I had a positive result."