Jean Todt Talks… Of 2006, Money, Schumacher And Retirement

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It is (hopefully) purely co-incidence that ahead of a season when much is expected, a season which could signal the end of the current Ferrari 'dream team', Jean Todt sat down to discuss matters, namely his hopes for the coming year, on Friday 13th.

They are a superstitious lot in F1, witness the many quirky (personal) rituals that drivers observe, the absence of car number 13, and the abject failure of the Jordan EJ13, possible the worst car that the Irish team built.

And so, Todt sites down to face the assemble media at Madonna di Campiglio, opening proceedings with a speech.

"We are going to focus for the last time on 2005 and 2006," he begins, "It is useless to repeat that the 2005 season was difficult, a deceiving season. It was our fault, we spoke already about tyres, but the tyres are part of the package, and Bridgestone have given us a lot over the years before the 2005 season and we never said we won because we have the best tyres, and so we are not going to say that we lost because our tyres were not up to the situation.

"The overall package was not up to what was necessary. We know this and we have seen it and it was up to us to do better during 2006.

"2005 was an important year for Ferrari in spite of all this, because Ferrari has been profitable, our cars have sold well and we have presented some new cars which have been successful in the market, and we are still looking good for the future. We have renewed some very important contracts for Formula One. We were the first to renew the Concorde Agreement with the FIA up to the year 2012 so something positive did take place during 2005. Perhaps it was not easy to see but they are surely important for the future of our firm.

"I do realise that many may not have noticed that as of 2006, the agreements that we have signed, we are going to have some greater revenues as against what we've had in the past. Unfortunately, we had to accept the departure of Vodafone.

"Vodafone wanted to stay with Ferrari but we could not keep Vodafone with Ferrari and we're going to announce, in the next few days, some further agreements that have been reached. However, I've read on many, many occasions that Ferrari was financially in dire straits and we might not be able to support our programmes in the future. Well all this is false and does not correspond to reality, to the truth.

"Some of our competitors may like to insist on these problems, but unfortunately for them it's not going to be so, and so we are going to have the means necessary to tackle future championships and of course this also means that we cannot use this as an excuse for lack of resources because we do have the resources.

"So our ambitions for 2006 are high. I never said that we are going to win everything in 2006, this is not part of my nature even if I would like to see Ferrari win everything. But what I can say is that we are going make all the possible effort, we are going to do our best, we have the determination, we have the motivation, so as to try to have a great season in 2006.

"Of course, we do know it's going to be difficult, it is not going to be easy, but as I already mentioned, it has never been easy and it's part of the rules of the game. If it was easy, we would not be interested in racing.

"As for our programmes, today we started the car for the first time and at the beginning of next week, we are going to start, not with a black car but with a red car with no writing on it, we are going to use it for some private testing in Fiorano, something different to what we have done in the past and then we will do some tests for a few days with Michael in Fiorano. After that, we are going to do some tests in our workshops and then on the 24th, a Tuesday, we are going to present the car in Mugello and we are going to present it with our partners and the press."

The Frenchman then threw the floor open to the assembled journos, who wanted further confirmation as to when the new car - provisionally designated the F2006 - will make its debut.

"There is a possibility this Monday," said the Frenchman. "We have decided that before presenting the car we don't want to waste any time so we want to be ready for the race track and of course it's going to depend on the layout in the car in the workshop, but as of this morning, it is possible that it will make its first laps on Monday, with Schumacher."

Asked how Felipe Massa is progressing, Todt replied: "He is growing well, meaning that he is a youngster but you have all seen him, you have heard him, he is mature, he is ageing and of course he's going to have a very difficult role this year, very difficult. Because, for the first time in his career he's going to be in a top team, he's going to be compared and up against the driver who has the best history in car racing, Michael Schumacher.

"We know that no one is going to make his life easy and we have said this in the past. We first identified him in 2001 when he signed an agreement with Ferrari. Then we took him as a test driver. Then we let him go to Sauber, though we did not let him sign a long-term agreement with Sauber-BMW as of 2006, and then we have him for 2006.

Referring to ongoing rumours regarding the team's line-up for 2007, with Kimi Raikkonen and Valentino Rossi both being mooted, the Frenchman said: "This, and all the speculations that has been made, that he can also read, is going to exert an even greater pressure on him.

"It is also clear that we are going to try and help him as much as possible. I do hope that his manager is going to be up to the situation and that's it. Full stop." His manager, of course, is Todt's son, Nicolas.

Naturally the question on everyone's lips is Schumacher, what's the situation, what does the future hold?

"This may be slightly unpleasant to say, but we are focusing on 2006," he begins. "I have seen, and I have read, that many teams are already thinking about 2007. We are thinking, for the time being, on 2006. So for 2006, we have two very motivated drivers. We have Michael, and I spoke to him before coming here, on the mobile phone, and he was telling me that before seeing me, before dinner, he was going to train. He's highly motivated, he wanted to try the car before Christmas because, just like all of us, he was very displeased about the 2005 season and really wants to do something in 2006.

"Then, and he said so clearly this morning, during the year he's going to decide whether he's going to continue or not. He does not know, so if he doesn't know, I know even less about what he is going to do in the future.

"As for Ferrari," he continued, "Ferrari is the firm that has the best sporting history in its field and Ferrari has won many championships, many titles with major drivers who have left a major trace in the history of car racing.

"Michael is among these drivers. He follows many other famous drivers and I'm trusting that the day Michael decides he's going to change his future we are going to have other great drivers who are going to write the history of Ferrari. We are going to announce it when we consider it suitable to announce it, but not now. I insist on the fact that now we are focusing on 2006."

Recently, Schumacher, for the first time, criticized the team - in an interview with Der Spiegel - however, it was only minor criticism. Pity, therefore, the journalist who suggests that Schumacher strongly criticized the Italian outfit.

"I'm surprised to hear that you say that Michael has criticised Ferrari," Todt hits back, "because Michael never criticises Ferrari.

"Michael was not happy about the whole situation," he continues, "but Michael…and I read the interview, Michael said that we did not do, all together, a good enough job. Michael knows motor racing well enough to speak about a cycle. Michael has been the most successful driver in history with Ferrari and of course he's giving his full support to Ferrari, his whole trust to Ferrari, but maybe you can read Der Spiegl again.

"Concerning the date when he announces it," he added, referring to Schumacher's future, "he has no pressure. He has no pressure from the team. I let you give him pressure but he has no pressure from team. Michael, when he feels happy to decide which direction he wants to take in his career will be convenient for us. It is up to us to organise ourselves in order to respond to the situation and to make sure that Ferrari is not penalised and can have all the elements in hand to be a winning team.

Referring to his own future with the Italian outfit, having joined it in 1993, Todt said: "In life, there are always things to do. As I mentioned previously, the day when you wake up thinking there is nothing else to do, well at that stage life becomes difficult and worrying. So I still have a lot to do, with and without Ferrari.

"Clearly, and I've said this many times over the years, I'm no longer to do the same job outside Ferrari. Ferrari is more than just the firm at which I work, it's a family for me. I've given a lot to Ferrari and Ferrari has given a lot to me. I say this with humility, but having said this, one day, we are going to decide together, with Ferrari that the cycle may have come to an end, and at a suitable moment we are going to announce it together. However, for the time being my motivation is for Ferrari and this is the only thing that counts for me now."

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