Ferrari is confident that it can challenge for both this year's
Formula One world championship and next's as it combines the resumption of hostilities at Valencia with the increased workload needed to produce a race winner under 2009's revised rulebook.
This weekend's European Grand Prix marks the return to the track after the traditional summer 'break', but Ferrari - like its rivals - has not been resting in the time since Hungary, dividing its time between trying to discover the current issues of
Kimi Raikkonen's recent malaise and
Felipe Massa's engine failure in Budapest and preparing for the new street course, as well as continuing the design and development of its 2009 challenger.
"We are entering the production phase for the main components of our 2009 car, parts such as the chassis and gearbox," technical director Aldo Costa revealed, "Ferrari has the ability and resources to work on next year's car without having to relax for one moment on continuing the development of the F2008 in a championship that is proving to be very tight between ourselves and our usual opponents. However, it is a very demanding challenge.
"Although it is a challenge we have faced many times before, it is particularly tough this time, as there are so many new elements coming into play for next season, such as the return to slick tyres and the introduction of the KERS system. This makes the puzzle more complicated than ever, which is why we have to operate as efficiently as possible in terms of time management, commitment and energy, as we are now in a delicate phase with no way to recover from any mistakes. One step in the wrong direction could prove very costly."
Ferrari has won the European GP five times previously, once with
Rubens Barrichello and four times with
Michael Schumacher, but the change of location - exacerbated by the move from road course to street circuit - means that that cannot be considered a reliable form guide for the coming weekend.
