Todt Backs Ferrari Resurgence

[Senna 0]

TODT BACKS FERRARI RESURGENCE

ITV

Ferrari's team principal Jean Todt has described his team's disastrous 2005 campaign as "worrying", but claims that it can bounce back before the end of the season.

Michael Schumacher has scored only one victory so far this year, in the US GP (a gimme thanks to the mass Michelin withdrawal at Indianapolis), and the last time the team was this uncompetitive was in 1996.

"On three occasions [this season], we did not score any points - something that has not happened for several seasons before," Todt told the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Nevertheless, Michael [schumacher] is still third in the Championship standings, and so are Ferrari.

"Our ambition is therefore to be able to recover the situation before the end of the season, in order to prepare better for 2006.

"We must prepare now for every remaining race individually, and the circuits that are left are known to us and to Bridgestone.

"We have all the elements to perform better than we did in Turkey."

Ferrari tyre supplier Bridgestone's failure to make its rubber work to this year's regulations - which require a set of tyres to last a whole race - as well as rival Michelin is cited as a key reason for the team's loss in form.

But Todt also recognises that the blame cannot be laid solely at the Japanese company's door.

He also accepts that after six straight constructors' titles and Schumacher's most recent reign at the top lasting five years, it would be unwise to complain too loudly.

"It is a difficult year, but we must be gracious in losing.

"We have had many successes in recent years, and therefore if we are now required to eat a little dust, we can accept that.

"People speak of difficult times for us.

"Well, they forget that when I arrived at Ferrari in July of 1993 - and until 2000 - the newspapers were constantly reminding me of the years passing by without a world championship title.

"So yes, in Istanbul - even if not mathematically - we have lost, with Michael, the championship title.

"But next year we will be able to say: 'we lost it for a year'. And it will be easier to accept."

[JayStorm 0]

Fair enough.

Though I'm not a Ferrari fan, it's quite reassuring to know that Jean is still very competitive and will still be fighting next year.

Thanks Senna.

JS.