McLaren-Mercedes are more than capable of getting back on terms with arch-rivals
Ferrari during the 2008
Formula 1 World Championship – that is the earnest view of the squad's former driver and double world champion Emerson Fittipaldi.
Whilst Ferrari has undeniably stolen a march on its Woking competitor early on in the campaign – triumphing in three of the first four races and opening up a nine-point lead in the drivers' standings for
Kimi Raikkonen and an advantage of 13 in the constructors' title chase – the Scuderia's team principal Stefano Domenicali has insisted nothing must be taken for granted [see separate story –
click here], a statement Fittipaldi is clearly in agreement with.
"Ferrari are very strong," the Brazilian told the
Press Association, "but
McLaren could bring out new suspension, downforce, brake balance and weight distribution that could change the car and gain three tenths of a second – and suddenly again their car is competitive. McLaren is very capable of coming back very strong again."
Fittipaldi – currently spearheading his nation's squad's charge in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport – knows better than most how capable McLaren are of re-grouping and fighting back, having claimed his second drivers' world crown with the British concern in 1974. The 61-year-old stressed it was impossible to predict whether
Lewis Hamilton would follow in his wheeltracks in 2008.
"It's still too soon to say if he is going to have a chance [of fighting for the title]," he urged. "He had a very good finish [in Barcelona] – a little off the pace, but he could come back strong."
