The sumptuous evening event was hosted by managing director of the dealership, Bobby Zagame (middle with Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa) and Kevin Wall, General manager of Ferrari in Australia and New Zealand.

The Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M has been launched at the Zagame Ferrari dealership in Melbourne in the presence of two very special guests: Scuderia Ferrari F1 drivers' Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa. The sumptuous evening event was hosted by managing director of the dealership, Bobby Zagame and Kevin Wall, General manager of Ferrari in Australia and New Zealand.

This event at Zagame Ferrari marked the Australian debut of the Scuderia Spider 16M, the fastest ever open top Ferrari, of which just 12 are coming to Australia. Both of the Scuderia's driver also signed the dashboard of a Fiat 500 that will be auctioned for charity during the Grand Prix Ball.

Raikkonen and Massa are in town for the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, the opening F1 race of the 2009 season, and back in the Melbourne paddock the pair spoke to the press yesterday about their prospects for the race. "I think we had a good winter, and the car looks ok," said Raikkonen in his usual succinct manner. "It's hard to know where we are compared to the others, especially because of the effect of all the new rules. We will find out tomorrow and Saturday. I am not sure if the new car suits my driving style better than last year's, but I would say I am happier this time with how our winter testing has gone."

The big talking point in the paddock was the protest lodged against some teams by others, over the legality of their interpretation of some of the new rules. Raikkonen was asked for his opinion: "that's always been part of racing and when there are new rules some teams always push these to the limit. Personally, I don't know what the truth is. People will decide whether these elements are legal or not. As for the Brawn being so quick, I don't think it is so surprising as they said they have been working on the car for a year already. But the results in testing do not always repeat themselves once the racing starts, so let's wait and see."

Last year, when F1 raced at night for the first time, Raikkonen appeared puzzled that the media were making such a fuss about it and he seemed equally perplexed at suggestions that Sunday's race, which starts at 5 in the afternoon, might end in the dark. "I don't know why people are making so much fuss about this," said the Ferrari driver. "We have raced at night under lights in Singapore and during the winter, we often continue testing while it is getting dark at the end of the afternoon. I don't think it will be very dark at the end of the race, so I'm not worried about it all."

As for all the new rules and changes, the Finn singled out the tyres as the key element. "The tyres have changed the most," he maintained. "I was not a fan of the grooved tyres, especially in the last year when there was only one tyre supplier. With the greater difference between the two types of tyre we will have at each race, it is a different situation and the weather could have more significant an effect and it can also change our approach to race strategy. In general, the balance of our car seems pretty good. Everything is slightly different to last year, but it doesn't really change very much, apart from the fact we have a few more buttons to push."

Even though the season has not even started, the media were already keen to know what the Ferrari man felt he could achieve this year and even if he had given any thought to his long term future with the Scuderia. "I don't think we will know where we stand until after the first two Grands Prix," he said. "But I'm not here just to finish races. I will be trying to win races and win the championships. I have a contract for this year and next and after that it is up to me to decide what I want to do. Of course I hope to have a good season this year, but whatever the result at the end of it, that will not have any influence on what I decide to do in the future. In terms of my attitude, there is no change this year from last year, or in fact from any year."

Raikkonen's team mate Massa, sporting his winter-grown goatee beard, was naturally cautious about his hopes for the coming season, despite the fact that the journalists always expect the drivers to be able to tell the future. "At the moment we start from zero," pointed out the Ferrari man. "All twenty drivers start from the same point, all of us fighting to win the championship. Only later in the year will it come down to a battle between two or three or five guys."

As for what he would like to see changed from last year, the Brazilian had a well thought out wish list: "I hope we have a car as competitive as last year, but maybe a bit more reliable with a team that is working very efficiently on one hundred percent of the details. That is what we have been working on all winter, when we took everything we learned from last year and worked very hard on improving in the areas we needed to improve on."

None of the drivers on the panel seemed to feel that elements like KERS or the adjustable front wings would in fact make a big difference to the actual racing, however they were all unanimous in their approval of the return to slick tyres. "The tyres make a big difference to driving the cars," said Massa. "You can be very aggressive with them when they are new, however once they are worn, you slide much more than last year on grooved tyres and you have to adopt a smoother driving style."

For the final two questions, Felipe had to get out his crystal ball and when asked where he felt Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro was in the pecking order he replied that he wasn't sure. "But I do think the Brawns are better than anyone else, so maybe we will be fighting for third place - I hope not." And with McLaren themselves claiming they were in trouble with their car, did Felipe think the Anglo-German team was sandbagging. "I have no idea so please ask them. But given their history you must always respect McLaren."