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Ferrari
President Luca di Montezemolo with Jean
Todt, Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa and Piero
Ferrari at the Ferrari World Finals today in
Mugello. |
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The extreme FXX
'track' cars were in action today at
Mugello, while at the same time Ferrari
announced that the FXX programme will be
extended for two further years. |
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Numerous
national and international journalists where present at
the press conference of the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro.
Jean Todt started the meeting with the press, saying: "I
wouldn't have placed a bet to be here today with the
success of the driver's championship with Kimi Raikkonen
in his first season as a driver for the Scuderia Ferrari
Marlboro. This means that this is a demonstration that
our mentality, never to never give up and to believe for
as long as you can believe. The last race was
incredible: We knew that we had to finish 1st and 2nd
and Kimi had to finish before Felipe in order to keep
Alonso back and Hamilton had to be in the best
hypothesis 6th. And this is what happened. All these
factors had to come together and this is what happened
in the end; our capacity to reach an extraordinary
double-win."
"We lost the 2006 championships at the last race because
of problems with reliability. This year we had more or
less the same problems, but we dedicated some thought to
that and we analyzed everything. We changed the
organization of the racing division after men like Ross
Brawn and Paolo Martinelli went to look for a different
philosophy of life. This year 2007 was a transition, so
it is even nicer that we can celebrate both championship
wins today. We suffered and there were many unhappy
moments." But Ferrari CEO Todt remembered the six
victories by Kimi and the three by Felipe, with his six
pole positions over the last season. Obviously Todt also
spoke about the spy affair, which was a surprise for
everybody. "I wouldn't have expected this betrayal from
one of ours," Todt said. "Who for personal reasons
wanted to help another team and I didn't expect them
(McLaren) to accept his help. But that is what happened.
We cried and they cried worse."
The final result of the driver's championship is not
really a final one, because there is an appeal, which
will be judged on the 15th November in Paris. But what's
important for us that is the result on the track," Todt
said. "The truth lies in the middle between the two,"
Todt said, when asked if it was one person (Ron Dennis)
or a whole team (McLaren), having committed the sin.
"It's a group of people who have accepted to receive
information from someone. But you have the same level of
info as we had, too. Ferrari never thought about any
other measures than on the race track. Just like Enzo
Ferrari did 20 years ago, when he built a car for the
Indycar racing series," Todt said. "Those were different
times. Still in the 90s in Formula One Ferrari was the
only team building chassis and engine, all the other
teams built chassis and used the same engine, the
Cosworth, and there was no legal agreement between the
teams in the championship either. We do have many other
programs for your clients. Yesterday we celebrated with
them the win in the FIA GT championships with the 430
and the victory in the ALMS."
As far as the main factor is concerned, that brought the
team to win the title in this difficult season, Todt
said: "This year was especially difficult. But the
result is the result of the team working together. It's
teamwork and we had a good team. And in the end, even
with problems concerning the reliability, we made it.
The best driver without a good car can't do anything.
Its teamwork and we had a good team."
Answering the question if he had already digested the
bitterness, Felipe said: "I am not someone who looks
back at what has happened. I look ahead. I look at the
future. It's important to look forward. We have the
whole winter to produce a good car, to have the most
competitive car possible." Todt added that "Felipe is
happy with Ferrari and Ferrari is happy with Felipe. And
his contract has been extended until 2010."
As far as the next season is concerned Kimi said: "Next
year should be easier not just for me but also for the
team. This year we had some difficulties to get the car
right, as I wanted. We'll see what we do for the new
car. It's very hard to say at this point how good the
car will be. But we have great expectations. We'll see
what happens next year. But we have a good feeling."
About the new regulations, that from next year on
traction control will be banned from the cars, Kimi
said: "When I came to Formula One we didn't have
traction control. There are so many things coming up. I
think it'll be good fun and more challenging, too. And
taking the traction control away will give us more
opportunities to overtake." But Felipe said that he had
never worked under these conditions. "It's difficult to
say. Like as Kimi said. It's too soon. We haven't yet
driven cars without traction control. It's just a habit.
We'll see if we need to change our driving style or we
need to change the car."
At that point Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo
showed up and said: "I really have to congratulate Kimi.
We have the best drivers in the world," expressing his
admiration also for the other drivers fighting in the
championship. But "this victory shows the level of our
drivers." After wishing Bernie Ecclestone a happy
birthday, who, Montezemolo said, has a great passion for
Ferrari he spoke about Max Mosley ("I would like to
express my respect for president Mosley.") and the team
spirit and creativity of the group, the basis of a great
company, which he is proud to represent for "many more
years." "As always with Todt we will announce the
structure of Ferrari at the end of the year. But the
strength of the company is the stability of its men, the
growth of our people, our technicians, our engineers,
the whole team, inside the sports management and the
company itself. The revolution, I hear you talking about
very often, we'll leave to your imagination."
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