In previous seasons, the pre-European rounds of the championship were quite foretelling of the season to come, especially in the past decade. Ferrari best exemplifies this. Typically, Michael Schumacher would have a 15-20 point lead by the time cars turned a single race lap on European soil. This lead would gradually expand and leave many fans with a boring end to the championship in the post-European rounds. The fact is that those that start well and gets points early typically don’t have to come from behind late in the season. That point will probably be underscored even more so this season.
Ferrari have proven over the years that they can produce an engine that is not only fast but reliable. As a result they have probably had to de-tune their engine the least of any team over the off-season. In previous seasons, teams could produce engine that were fast but a bit fragile, but could also count on the fact that later in the season they could come up with developments to boost the reliability. This season no such developments will come online due to the (draconian) 3-year engine freeze. To achieve a good amount of reliability, teams have had to back off more than they’d probably like to. As a result, Ferrari seem to have the advantage in the engine department. This will allow them to focus their effort on their relative weakness, aerodynamics.
Ferrari have always been relatively good in the aero department, but lately they had been second to Renault at least, and maybe McLaren. Ferrari have the means, and passion to make this an even great strong suit of the team. And it is that passion that can never be underestimated. Passion is what makes Ferrari. Just look at the road cars they produce. They are fabulous pieces of engineering, but looking at every aspect, you can tell there is more there than just metal, leather, and carbon fiber. This passion will help boost the aero.
The final axis of the triangle is the driver combo. For the first time since the arrival of Schumacher, there is a true equal driver lineup. Ferrari have a very capable driver in Felipe Massa and an WDC-caliber driver in Kimi Raikkonen who hasn’t won a title due to the sheer ineptitude of McLaren-Mercedes. Specifically to Raikkonen, we know he has speed and can win, and if he doesn’t, Massa will be right there to pick up the scraps.
To sum things up, Ferrari has shown that they have the best car, and the best drivers, and that is unlikely to change. Also having a control tire from Bridgestone also scores another point for Ferrari. Simply put, since everything on the cars is set from now ’til Interlagos, apart for aero, things are unlikely to change. This is only the beginning.
Sorry to say but this season will be a very sad afair.Kimi will walk away with the title way before the season finishes. We will all see what a class driver can do when he is given the right tools.
I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but the notion that Kimi and Felipe comprise a “true equal driver lineup” is wishful thinking. Ferrari have no desire to spend hundreds of millions of dollars funding a battle between two alpha males that would lessen the team’s chances of taking the Driver’s Championship.
They’ll make a big show of giving Massa equal equipment, which they do — just as they gave equal equipment to Irvine and Rubens. When Massa almost inevitably finds himself significantly behind Kimi in the standings at mid-season, the usual behaviour will be expected from him.