Ferrari Are Rejoicing

[narain fan 0]

While Michelin rile at the change of heart, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has predictably joined Bridgestone in rejoicing at the return of tyre changing in 2006.

''I feel (it) should have been done earlier,'' the Italian told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Click READ MORE for the full story.

Uncompetitive Ferrari's argument, all along, is that the 2005-spec 'one tyre per race' regulation was unsafe. New scarlet driver Felipe Massa sided with Montezemolo in praising the 'safer' option.

''Nearly everyone this year had problems finishing the weekend with a single set,'' said the Brazilian, who raced with Michelin tyres on his Sauber.

''As safety was concerned, it wasn't good, and with more tyres it'll be more fun for us.''

However, just in case it is interpreted that only Bridgestone camps welcome the change, Michelin-clad Red Bull driver Christian Klien agreed that it should - at least - prevent the sort of situation seen on Kimi Raikkonen's wobbly Nurburgring car.

And he admitted: ''The (reinstated) rule will also mix up the balance of power.''

Felipe Massa has offered a reassuring account of life at the wheel of F1's new V8 formula. The young Ferrari driver got his first taste of his 2006 stint as Michael Schumacher's teammate with a two-day test at Vallelunga (Italy) last week. The V8 formula, as opposed to the 3.0 litre V10 format of at least the last decade, is an approximately 200 horse power step down compared to 2005. But Brazil's Massa, 25, told Gazzetta dello Sport: ''It was fun, I expected worse. I like it.'' He called the early 2006 Ferrari V8 'very driveable' even though it packed less power. ''It's definitely better than I expected,'' Felipe explained. ''With two cylinders less there's a lot less power, but it's fast anyway.'' With less power and (because of the return of tyre changing) more grip in 2006, though, widespread fears persist that driving a grand prix car will prove even less of a challenge next year and beyond. But Massa said: ''In my opinion we'll have fun anyway. ''We'll be able to go fairly fast.''....

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which is making massa more confident

[demonhorse 0]

Even if tyre changing makes Massa more confident, it still won't qualify his previous comments about how he'll be up there with Schumacher.

[Senna 0]

Yes, very silly remarks from the young Brazilian...

[pumpdoc 2]

Yes, very silly remarks from the young Brazilian...

We shall see if his remarks come back to haunt him.

[Senna 0]

We shall see if his remarks come back to haunt him.

They inevitably will!

[demonhorse 0]

We shall see if his remarks come back to haunt him.

They inevitably will!

like Jensen's jokes and claims that the following year will be 'his year' and Massa saying he will be harassing Schumacher.

[Senna 0]

like Jensen's jokes and claims that the following year will be 'his year' and Massa saying he will be harassing Schumacher.

And DC

[demonhorse 0]

And DC

[narain fan 0]

While Michelin rile at the change of heart, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has predictably joined Bridgestone in rejoicing at the return of tyre changing in 2006.

''I feel (it) should have been done earlier,'' the Italian told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Click READ MORE for the full story.

Uncompetitive Ferrari's argument, all along, is that the 2005-spec 'one tyre per race' regulation was unsafe. New scarlet driver Felipe Massa sided with Montezemolo in praising the 'safer' option.

''Nearly everyone this year had problems finishing the weekend with a single set,'' said the Brazilian, who raced with Michelin tyres on his Sauber.

''As safety was concerned, it wasn't good, and with more tyres it'll be more fun for us.''

However, just in case it is interpreted that only Bridgestone camps welcome the change, Michelin-clad Red Bull driver Christian Klien agreed that it should - at least - prevent the sort of situation seen on Kimi Raikkonen's wobbly Nurburgring car.

And he admitted: ''The (reinstated) rule will also mix up the balance of power.''

Felipe Massa has offered a reassuring account of life at the wheel of F1's new V8 formula. The young Ferrari driver got his first taste of his 2006 stint as Michael Schumacher's teammate with a two-day test at Vallelunga (Italy) last week. The V8 formula, as opposed to the 3.0 litre V10 format of at least the last decade, is an approximately 200 horse power step down compared to 2005. But Brazil's Massa, 25, told Gazzetta dello Sport: ''It was fun, I expected worse. I like it.'' He called the early 2006 Ferrari V8 'very driveable' even though it packed less power. ''It's definitely better than I expected,'' Felipe explained. ''With two cylinders less there's a lot less power, but it's fast anyway.'' With less power and (because of the return of tyre changing) more grip in 2006, though, widespread fears persist that driving a grand prix car will prove even less of a challenge next year and beyond. But Massa said: ''In my opinion we'll have fun anyway. ''We'll be able to go fairly fast.''....

_______________________________________________________________________

....

which is making massa more confident

The three days of Scuderia Ferrari testing concluded at the Vallelunga circuit on Thursday where official test driver Luca Badoer was joined on track by new driver for the 2006 championship season, Felipe Massa.

The final day of this week’s program was focused on developing Bridgestone tyres and comparing the performance of the two cars on the circuit: the F2004 and the F2005. Massa was left with an overall feeling of satisfaction after his second straight week of working with the new V8 powered engine designed for next season.

"We are pleased with the data we have gathered," he declared at the end of the day. "We were able to see something interesting that will be useful in Bridgestone's next stage of development. Further, I was able to run many kilometres with the new V8, confirming the positive impression I had last week. We, with the support of Shell, are making good progress in terms of reliability".

Felipe drove a true eight cylinder engine while Luca used a V10 in order to reproduce the conditions that will be in force at the beginning of next season.

[demonhorse 0]

The three days of Scuderia Ferrari testing concluded at the Vallelunga circuit on Thursday where official test driver Luca Badoer was joined on track by new driver for the 2006 championship season, Felipe Massa.

The final day of this week

[Senna 0]

A flawed test unless Schumacher is ALSO testing one of the cars.

Do you not trust the feedback of Felipe and Luca?

[demonhorse 0]

Do you not trust the feedback of Felipe and Luca?

No I meant if they want to 'replicate the conditions at the start of next season', Schumacher surely should also be there.

[Senna 0]

No I meant if they want to 'replicate the conditions at the start of next season', Schumacher surely should also be there.

I suppose so but they

[pumpdoc 2]

I think they trust Luca as this is his what 8th or 9th year testing, I know Schumi trusts him.