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Ferrari riding high on testing success ahead of Australian GP
Mugello, Mar 03: Ferrari go to Australia for the first Grand Prix of the 2004 season with good results from testing.
Mugello, Mar 03: Ferrari go to Australia for the first Grand Prix of the 2004 season with good results from testing.
The Ferrari team is in Australia with other Formula One teams in readiness for Sunday's (March 7) Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Michael Schumacher recently continued the testing routine of the F2004 car at Mugello track in Italy. Schumacher's Brazilian team mate Rubens Barrichello has also been engaged in an intensive testing program at Imola. Schumacher comes to the 2004 season as a six time world champion who is eager to make it seven. But at the age of 35 he is one of the oldest drivers in the field and rivals Kimi Raikkonen of McLaren, Fernando Alonso of Renault and Juan Pablo Montoya of Williams are only in their twenties. Alonso was only nine years old when Schumacher first drove in Formula One.
This year for the first time the crews will only be allowed to run one engine for each driver throughout the weekend. If an engine breaks then the driver drops ten places on the grid -- a major disadvantage for the front-running teams.
Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn said the regulation change would not make much change in the race in his opinion, but would create two distinct levels of engine use. One of preservation mode during Friday and Saturday morning, and then Saturday and Sunday afternoons when maximum demands would be put on the engine.
Ferrari technicians estimate that an engine last season was expected to run for 400 kms (250 miles) before being replaced. But this season each engine will have to run for at least twice that distance.
Bureau Report
The Ferrari team is in Australia with other Formula One teams in readiness for Sunday's (March 7) Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Michael Schumacher recently continued the testing routine of the F2004 car at Mugello track in Italy. Schumacher's Brazilian team mate Rubens Barrichello has also been engaged in an intensive testing program at Imola. Schumacher comes to the 2004 season as a six time world champion who is eager to make it seven. But at the age of 35 he is one of the oldest drivers in the field and rivals Kimi Raikkonen of McLaren, Fernando Alonso of Renault and Juan Pablo Montoya of Williams are only in their twenties. Alonso was only nine years old when Schumacher first drove in Formula One.
This year for the first time the crews will only be allowed to run one engine for each driver throughout the weekend. If an engine breaks then the driver drops ten places on the grid -- a major disadvantage for the front-running teams.
Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn said the regulation change would not make much change in the race in his opinion, but would create two distinct levels of engine use. One of preservation mode during Friday and Saturday morning, and then Saturday and Sunday afternoons when maximum demands would be put on the engine.
Ferrari technicians estimate that an engine last season was expected to run for 400 kms (250 miles) before being replaced. But this season each engine will have to run for at least twice that distance.
Bureau Report