General data  
Grand Prix season/s 2005
Racing drivers Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello
Race numbers Michael Schumacher: 1 Rubens Barrichello: 2
VIN span 243 – 249
Number produced 6
Presentation 25 February 2005: Pista di Fiorano „Nuovo Logistica“ Presentation car: S/N 243
   
Technical Specifications  
Chassis Carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure
Length 4545 mm
Width 1796 mm
Height 959 mm
Wheelbase 3050 mm
Front track 1470 mm
Rear track 1405 mm
Front suspension Independent wheel suspension, double delta wishbones at the top, lower wishbones mounted on mono-keel, torsion springs operated by traction struts and deflection levers, anti-roll bar, Push-Rod-System, 3rd shock absorber mounted central
Rear suspension Independent wheel suspension, double delta wishbones, Sachs rotation shock absorbers, shock absorber unitoperated by traction struts and deflection levers, anti-roll bar, Push-Rod-System
Front tyres 13“
Rear tyres 13“
Tyres Bridgestone Potenza slicks with 4 grooves
Wheels BBS light alloy wheels
Front brakes Brembo ventilated carbon-fibre disc brakes, 6-pod aluminium callipers
Rear brakes Brembo ventilated carbon-fibre disc brakes, 6-pod aluminium callipers
Weight 605 kg, including oil, water and driver
Fuel tank Approx. 135 litres
Body material Carbon-fibre
   
Engine  
Type 055
Number of cylinders V10 – 90°
Displacement 2998 ccm
Bore and stroke
Camshaft 2 overhead per cylinderbank
Valves 4 per cylinder
Valve control Pneumatical
Compression ratio
Lubrication Dry sump
Ignition Magneti Marelli electronic coil ignition
Fuel management Magneti Marelli digital fuel injection, Shell fuel
Maximum power Approx. 880 hp – 18.800 rpm
Gearbox 7 gears + rev., semiautomatic sequential electronically controlled gearbox, activated by steering wheel paddles, longitudinal installed, Traction and launch control Gearbox material: Titan and Carbon-fibre Gear change in approx. 0,04 sec.
Clutch AP and Sachs carbon-fibre multi disc clutch, activated with button on steering wheel
Engine weight Approx. 94 kg
Engine dimensions H x W Approx. 345 x 560 mm
   
Team    
Director of Gestione Sportiva Jean Todt
Technical Director Ross Brawn
Chief Designer Rory Byrne and Aldo Costa
Engine Paolo Martinelli and Gilles Simon
   
VINs  
  243, 244, 245, 246, 248, 249
Good to know:

  • First race: Grand Prix in Bahrain
  • 1 Grand Prix victory for Michael Schumacher – Grand Prix USA
  • 3rd place in Constructors World Championship with 100 points.
  • 3rd place in Drivers World Championship by Michael Schumacher with 62 points

Ferrari Press releases:
Source: Ferrari

The F2005 unveiled

Maranello, 25th February ‘ In stark contrast to the sunshine that awaits the world of Formula 1 in Melbourne in a few days time, Maranello snow provided the backdrop to the unveiling of the car that will carry Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro’s hopes of retaining the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championship titles this year.The F2005 will not be making the trip to Australia, as Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello will start the year at the wheel of the F2004 M, the modified version of last year’s car. This will allow extra time for development and track testing of the new car and its 055 Engine, prior to its debut after the first few grands prix.With the car presentation taking place so near to the start of the year, it was a more low key and traditional launch than those of the past few years. Ferrari Managing Director Jean Todt started the proceedings by calling President Luca di Montezemolo, Schumacher, Barrichello and test drivers Luca Badoer and Marc Gene to pull the wraps off the new car, which technical director, Ross Brawn Later changed over to described as the ‘best we have built to date.’‘As always, this is an emotional moment, as we see the car that will defend the colours of this company in the forthcoming championship,’ began Todt. ‘The Ferrari team is on great form and we want to repeat the successes of the past few years. We want to maintain our position and I would say I will to win is even stronger now.’ The Frenchman went on to thank all the team’s suppliers and sponsors…Ross Brawn then explained all the changes on the car, the majority as a result of the new technical and sporting regulations introduced for 2005. ‘Obviously, the biggest changes concern the aerodynamics, with a raised a front wing, the rear one moved further inboard, and the floor and diffuser also undergoing modifications,’ explained the Englishman. ‘In addition there have been various safety improvements.’Brawn felt that the rule banning tyre changes during the grands prix would make for interesting racing. ‘It will revive something of the old F1,’ he commented. ‘The ability to run a set of tyres for the whole race will be a key factor and make for fascinating and spectacular racing.’Brawn also touched on the organisation of the team: ‘Last year we began a process of renewal and Aldo Costa is now overseeing the design and development of the car, while Rory Byrne has what could be called a more ‘paternal’ role. But all the changes have gone through smoothly, without causing any shocks, as they have all taken place within the Ferrari philosophy that characterises our team.’After Rory Byrne and Paolo Martinelli had gone into more detail about the technical changes to chassis and Engine, Montezemolo brought the official part of the presentation to a close, with a typically stirring speech, thanking everyone in the team and the company for their efforts.

The F2005 – Characteristics and technical specification

The F2005 is the fifty first single-seater built by Ferrari specifically to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship. The design, which bears the internal code number 656, represents Ferrari’s more exhaustive interpretation of the 2005 technical regulations. The main elements, relating to aerodynamics are more advanced than on the F2004 M. The chassis is lighter, despite the need to strengthen the Later changed over toal anti-intrusion panels within the monocoque to increase its ability to meet the requirements of the crash-test, which is stricter than in the past. The shape has been revised, with modifications to the opening of the side pods and the area around the turning vanes. The side pods have been adapted to accommodate the new cooling system. The Enginecover has been redesigned, as have the aerodynamic devices on the side pods, with a secondary winglet introduced in the area of the roll-hoop. The layout of the exhausts is fundamentally different to that of the previous car, eliminating the aerodynamic tread tyrese which characterised the rear section, which is now almost entirely integrated within the bodywork. While retaining the longitudinal architecture for the transmission, the entire rear end has been changed in an attempt to get the most out of the size of the gearbox, which is smaller than its predecessor and made from titanium and carbon fibre. Naturally, the liwithations introduced by the new regulations were taken into account during the design stage. The rear suspension has been revised, with the twin aims of improving the car’s dynamics in order to optimise the efficiency of operation for the Bridgestone tyres, while also improving the aerodynamic efficiency of the rear. The floor of the car has also been substantially redesigned to fit in with the new dimensions of the gearbox and comply with the new regulations. Two areas that benefited from a major effort during the design stage were the braking and electronics systems, this work carried out in conjunction with technical partners. The 055 Engineis load-bearing and mounted longitudinally. Much of the internal componentry derives from the last version of the 053, currently fitted to the F2004 M. The main changes centre on the mounting points to chassis and gearbox. Its designers aimed to come up with an Engineable to maintain a sufficient level of performance, doubling its life given that the sporting regulations introduced this year require the use of the same Enginefor two consecutive race weekends. As always, Shell’s help has been invaluable in the definition of fuel and lubricants to best meet the set targets. The F2005 represents the final evolution in a line of Ferrari Formula 1 cars fitted with a ten cylinder Engine. As usual, right from the design stage, much attention was paid to performance and optimisation of the materials used as well as quality control, in order to increase performance levels with maximum safety, all within the framework of the new rules introduced this year.

CHASSIS

Carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure Ferrari longitudinal gearbox limited-slip differential Semiautomatic sequential electronically controlled gearbox Number of gears 7 + reverse Ventilated carbon-fibre disc brakes Independent suspension, push-rod activated torsion springs front and rear Length 4545 mm Width 1796 mm Height 959 mm Wheelbase 3050 mm Front track 1470 mm Rear track 1405 mm Weight with water, lubricant and driver 605 kg Wheels (front and rear) 13′

Engine

Type 055 Number of cylinders V 10 Cilinder block in cast aluminium Number of valves 40 Pneumatic distribution Total displacement 2997 cm3 Magneti Marelli digital electronic injection
Magneti Marelli static electronic ignition

Montezemolo: ‘a time for faith and optimism’

Maranello, 25th February 2005′ The launch of the F2005 ended with a speech from Ferrari President, Luca di Montezemolo.‘First of all, thank you all for coming. I think I speak for everyone when I say our thoughts are with the Pope, because one of the most intense moments of the past few years occurred a few weeks ago when we went to the Vaticanb for an audience. Despite being very tired, the Pope had the strength to speak at length with all of us showing his passion while also taking the opportunity to put over his views on the value of sport and its ethics which are often on the decline. I wish to send our deepest felt wishes to an exceptional Pope.’This is always an important day for us,’ continued Montezemolo. ‘The years go by, but the spirit, the sense of friendship and collaboration have never been lacking, especially in the difficult moments. 2004 was really busy, both professionally and personally. We have won so much in Formula 1, more than anyone else. This team is strong and stable, but with young people continually growing and taking on more and more responsibility under the guidance of Ross and Rory. I like to think back to the presentations of the past: I remember in 1992, when it was hard to understand who had made the car; I recall the years of rebuilding and then 97, 98 and 99 when we lost the drivers title at the very last race. We constantly raised our expectations and this year we want to maintain our current position. In life as in sport, one cannot win all the time, but nevertheless that is what we have set as our goal. This is not just what I want, but also what Todt and everyone at Ferrari wants, because we are up against major manufacturers and we have to push as hard as we can.’‘What concerns me more is to give Ferrari economic autonomy and I think this will be achieved by the end of 2012. Ferrari has some amazing and important sponsors and technical partners, but a different financial structure to our competitors and so we want autonomy so that we are not dependent on FIAT, which has always given a lot to Ferrari and will continue to do so, but economic and operational autonomy is very important. So, for 2008, we are preparing an all-Ferrari championship, which should be interesting,’ joked Montezemolo. ‘Joking apart, between now and 2008 a lot of things will happen. Let’s wait and see.’The President then turned to Ferrari’s industry achievements in 2004. ‘This has been an exceptional year. In a few days, at the Geneva Motor Show, we will present the F430 Spider a car born out of collaboration with Formula 1. FIAT and Alfa Romeo will also have an important presence at the show. So we have grand aims for 2005: easy to say, harder to do. Our collaboration with Bridgestone will be vital and in fact this car is born out of close cooperation with the Japanese company. We start with last year’s car modified. As Brawn said, we believe this is the right choice and I think once again this year, we will be front runners. This presentation is the time for faith and optimism. Here is our whole world, our territory, our partners and our suppliers. Together we will do everything possible to keep the two titles at Maranello. We will do all we can to keep both trophies in Maranello. The journalists are asking ‘who will beat Ferrari.’ I hope the answer is Ferrari.’

Todt: ‘I respect the other teams’

Maranello, 25th February ‘ In the press briefing after the official presentation of the F2005, Ferrari Managing Director, Jean Todt revealed that it was hoped that the new car would be ready to make its race debut at the fifth race of the season; the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona. ‘We will start testing it early next week at a venue that will depend on the weather,’ said Todt. Asked if it was a disadvantage not to have the new car for the start of the season, Todt smiled and replied, ‘We cannot predict the result of the first four races. There are many unknown factors, like the one set of tyres for a race and so there are plenty of question marks. It is an interesting situation.’ With the winter months dominated by the political rather than the sporting side of Formula 1, Todt was asked to comment on Ferrari’s re-signing of the Concorde Agreement, which sets them apart from the teams associated with the GPWC. ‘First I would point out that it was Paolo Cantarella (former Fiat president,) who initiated the GPWC,’ began Todt. ‘We always said that, if we could reach an agreement with the FIA, with Ecclestone, with the banks, we would do so. Only after reaching this agreement did we step out of the GPWC.’ Todt also felt that Ferrari was justified in getting a better financial package than other teams. ‘Ferrari has always been special and is tied to F1 just as F1 is tied to Ferrari. It helped to create what F1 is today. It is like in the movies where the stars get paid more. Ferrari is a star and wants to be paid like a star. The others might be frustrated but they would demand the same if they were in our situation.’ With Ferrari having dominated the 2004 season, Todt was asked why he felt this year would be particularly tough. ‘The other teams are very good and I respect them. They and the Enginemanufacturers and Bridgestone’s rivals have all done a great job. Now it is up to us to provide our team with whatever is needed and make sure we are ready for the challenge.’ Finally, Todt was asked if after over a decade with the Scuderia, he did not consider taking on another challenge. ‘I think it would be difficult to find a more complete challenge than my role here at Ferrari,’ said the Frenchman.

Schumacher: ‘I don’t feel old’

Maranello, 25th February ‘ Michael Schumacher’s motivation continues to mystify the F1 media, but Michael is equally mystified that people should question his desire to keep racing. ‘I don’t feel like an old guy,’ said the reigning world champion. I still enjoy racing and it feels natural and fun. It is no longer a question of trying to reach the top.’ As soon as the F2005 launch was over, Schumacher was heading for Australia for the first race and he adwithted that it might be a slight disadvantage to race there with the F2004 M. ‘Of course, I would have liked to have the new car immediately,’ he said. ‘Maybe it means we have slightly less chance to win, but with 19 races this will be a long season. We have taken a decision that is a compromise, but I think many of the other teams would like to have our cormpromise! We are well prepared.’ The results of winter testing suggest the opposition will be closer. ‘But for me, my most feared rival is him,’ said Schumacher, pointing at Rubens Barrichello sitting next to him.

Barrichello: ‘great to see the new car’

Maranello, 25th February ‘ Rubens Barrichello is keen to get to Melbourne and start racing. ‘Only when we get to Melbourne will we see what the new order is among the teams,’ reckoned the Brazilian. ‘That is when we will see where we stand and in what areas we need to improve, if indeed we need to improve.’ Asked to single out which team he thought might pose the greatest threat to the Scuderia, Barrichello suggested Renault. ‘From what we have seen in winter testing, they are quick over a single lap and also quick over a long distance.’ Barrichello is relaxed about tackling the new race weekend timetable. ‘It is just something else for us to adapt to,’ he said, referring to the fact that final qualifying now takes place on race morning. ‘I will enjoy the challenge of having to put in a quick lap the very first time I go out on track on Sunday morning. In practical terms, it just means we will be a bit busier and have less chance to relax a bit before the race. My main hope is that the new format is interesting and easy to understand for the spectators. We will have to learn the best way of getting the most out of the Bridgestone tyres during qualifying.’ And what did he think of the new car ‘I watched it being assembled. At this stage, I cannot pick out one special element on it, but overall it was a great feeling seeing the new car come together, knowing all the work that has gone into producing it.’

The F2005 and its designers

Maranello, 25th February ‘ After the F2005 launch ceremony, the designers of the new car faced the media to go into more detail about its technical content, with particular reference to the new regulations, which include among other matters, the use of the same set of tyres for qualifying and the race and the fact that an Enginemust last two grand prix weekends. The affect of these changes on the car’s performance was the main topic of discussion. ‘Probably, overall, we have lost a bit in performance terms, especially because of the longer life required from Engines and tyres,’ replied Rory Byrne. ‘However, we are working to overcome this deficit. We need to find the right compromise and be sure to make the right tyre choice, which will play an even more important role than usual. Obviously, tyre deterioration will affect performance.The way various components are managed will also change. ‘We need to set parameters for both the life of the tyres and for performance. We have worked on increasing the range of these parameters in order to give Engineers more scope,’ explained Ross Brawn. ‘We have therefore worked on traction control, weight distribution and a whole range of critical factors.’At the moment, only one F2005 chassis is ready, which will begin testing on track next week with Luca Badoer. ‘The second will probably be ready after Malaysia, because at the moment it is still being used for the crash test,’ said Brawn. ‘When we have two chassis, we will be able to do more testing. Of course, we want to race the new car as soon as possible and to do that we need to gather a lot of data. Badoer will do the first test, as the race drivers will be busy with the Australian Grand Prix.So when will the F2005 make its race debut ‘Probably Barcelona,’ replied Brawn. ‘But we will have to see how testing goes. Maybe it might be possible to introduce it in Bahrain. It also depends how the F2004 M goes in the races. If it is competitive, then we can get on with things more calmly.’This year’s pit stops mean refuelling only and no tyre changing. Does Brawn think this will lead to substantially different race strategies and a different number of stops ‘We will have to see how things go at different circuits. I do not expect a big change in the number of pit stops and I think there will usually be 2 or 3 stops. Obviously, now the calculations will be based purely on the fuel load, given that the tyres do not change and so the strategy will vary from circuit to circuit,’ said Brawn. ‘In a short space of time, we will find the right way to go between a little and a lot of fuel in relation to tyre wear. We like this challenge. Those who do the best job will create interesting opportunities.’Paolo Martinelli and Gilles Simon went into more detail as to the philosophy of the 055, the ten cylinder Enginepowering the F2005. ‘The Enginewas based on last year’s, but it has improved in every area. The key element is the fact it must last for two grands prix,’ said Martinelli. ‘The architecture is similar to last year’s. But the mechanical elements, the electronics and almost the components have been revised. We worked above all to ensure the best possible integration with the car. But our work is not finished, as it is on-going.’
Has the braking system been adapted to be as kind as possible on the tyres And what about the transmission Brembo and Ferrari have tried to find the best possible compromise, working to optimise all the parts and increase integration with the chassis,’ said Brawn. ‘Our collaboration with Brembo has always been very important but this year we have cooperated more closely.’ ‘As for the gearbox, we have improved its structure,’ added Brawn. ‘The internals and operation are different to the work we did initially, before the new rules forced us to change the design. We won’t have this new gearbox for the first few races, but the one we will use is a good compromise.

Rory Byrne: ‘The best ever Ferrari Formula 1 car’

Maranello, 25th February – Although the fundamental design philosophy of the F2005 is the same as previous cars, the changes in bodywork regulations have meant that we have also had to maximise downforce in order to recover as much as possible of the 25% we lost initially.Changes to regulations which now require only one set of tyres to be used for two qualifying session and the race have meant we have had to consider tyre life as well as performance so, as usual, many areas of the car have had to be fundamentally revised in order to make a step in performance.I will explain in more details:1) Aerodynamics The areas directly affected by the new regulations, eg wings and diffuser, are obviously all new but even radiator, exhaust and gearbox layouts have been fundamentally revised to optimise the aerodynamics. In addition, there are several development items planned to be introduced during testing in the next month so when it first races it will look differently in some areas to the car you see here.2) Transmission While the transmission internals have been further optimised, the casing is completely new, both in terms of its shape to optimise the aerodynamics and its method of construction and use of materials. A prototype has been successfully tested in the F2004.3) Chassis The chassis is completely new, both in terms of shape, which is a result of the aerodynamic development programme, and in terms of materials used and design of the structure, in order to achieve a weight saving in spite of the increased side penetration requirements for 2005.4) Suspensions, steering and brakes Both front and rear suspensions have been further optimised to maximise performance and minimise wear of the Bridgestone tyres. A fundamentally revised power steering system to enhance driver control in transient conditions will be tested shortly. More effort than ever before has been spent on optimising the braking system in order to improve the driver use and modulation of the brakes during qualifying and the various stages of the race.5) Electronics For the first time, a Ferrari designed and developed data acquisition system has been installed in the F2005 in order to greatly enhance the data acquisition and processing. A prototype of the system has been successfully tested on the F2004.Aldo Costa has been responsible for the entire F2005 project and I would like to congratulate him and his team who have carried out the research, structural calculation and design of the car and met all the objectives we defined at the start of the project.Finally, I would like to thank everyone at the Gestione Sportiva for their contribution in producing the best ever Ferrari Formula 1 car.Forza Ferrari!

Paolo Martinelli: ‘An Enginedesigned to reach our targets for 2005 season’

Maranello, 25th February – The new F1 Engine’ a 90 degree V10 ‘ which will be used for the forthcoming championship, fitted to the F2005 is called the 055.To comply with the new regulations, that stipulate the use of just one Engineper car for two races, Enginelife must once again be doubled, compared with the previous year: we have thus moved from 400 km in 2003 to 700 km last year and now our target is 1400 km. Furthermore, it will be imperative to have performance stability over the entire period of Enginelife (as Engineusage will run to the end of the second race.)The 055 Enginebegan life as an evolution of its predecessor (called the 053.) A great deal of work in terms of design and experimentation was and will be focussed as a priority, on meeting and maintaining the necessary reliability for this new mission tread tyrese. One has to taken into consideration that for many of the Engine’s internal parts, especially those that move, the 1400 km range is a severe test that conflicts with maintaining performance.Therefore, most of the Enginecomponents have been redesigned and effectively optimised to meet the new targets. The Enginewill be adapted in terms of ‘mapping’ as a function of the various requirements during the season (I mean for example, the demands of various circuits that come up on the 2005 F1 calendar and the different weather conditions we can expect.)The 055 Enginedesign project had to meet the following technical demands: ‘ reliability extended to around 1400 km ‘ as already explained ‘ while maintaining necessary levels of performance and driveability; ‘ consolidating strong integration with the design of the car, which has led to a functional optimisation of layout of the Engineand its accessories.The 055 can only be fitted to the new F2005 car.As for its structural characteristics: the block, heads and other minor castings have been strengthened without any appreciable increase in weight. All moving components are new to cope with the extended life. The Marelli Enginecontrol unit has also evolved to meet the 2005 requirements, with new electronic components. It also proved necessary to develop a new fuel and above all, a new lubricant, with invaluable support from Shell, that provides exceptional stability and Engineprotection.In terms of performance development, work will go on throughout the season, with evolutionary steps already planned in the programme.The team of Ferrari EngineEngineers continues, through the stability of the group, to grow in experience and responsibility, both in design and development (with a strong team of specialists in all areas: combustion, dynamics, bench testing etc.,) and in the running of the Engineon the track.Our Enginedepartment has a long history, but it is always heavily orientated towards innovation and improvement in terms of product and work methods. The organisation has been adapted to meet the new aims of the 2005 season.It is impossible for me to mention here all those involved, but I want to single out Gilles Simon, who was in charge of design, as indeed he was for the previous V10. Supporting him on the development side will be Lorenzo Sassis. Track and reliability testing of the Enginewill be supervised by Noel Cavey and the race Engines will be run by Mattia Binotto. The support of our technology-production side (which we call Meccanica GES) and quality control is also fundamental. It is under the leadership (not just on the Engineside) of Mario Almondo.Finally, no power figure is revealed, but, without wishing to sound repetitive, I can guarantee that again this year, all Ferrari’s Enginecrew will work methodically and with determination to ensure there is ‘sufficient’ horsepower, delivered in ‘driveable’ and ‘reliable’ manner to reach our targets for the 2005 F1 championship. All that remains is to wish all our partners and suppliers a successful year and Forza Ferrari!Forza Ferrari!

Ross Brawn: ‘I am extremely proud of this car’

Maranello, 25th Ferbuary – Once more, for 2005, we have a series of new regulations. There have been several bodywork changes to reduce the aerodynamic downforce. The front wing is raised, the rear wing is moved forward, and the dimensions of the floor have changed resulting in a 15% reduction in downforce. There have also been improvements in crash structures, wheel tethers and the introduction of anti-debris construction to critical parts of the bodywork, all designed to improve safety.The Enginemust now complete 2 race meetings which as well as the technical challenge, bring an interesting logistical challenge to use the Engineproperly for two races. We now have only one set of tyres for qualifying and the race. This will be an important aspect of the races in 2005. The driver and team that use their tyres intelligently will prosper and I believe this will revive a past element to Formula One ‘ the need to manage your tyres for the whole race. The latter part of the races will be fascinating and, more importantly, highly entertaining.I mentioned last year that we had begun the process of succession at Ferrari and this continues. Aldo Costa has the main responsibility for the design and development of this car. He is ably supported by Marco Fainello, Vehicle Dynamics and John Iley, Aerodynamics. Tiziano Battistini has taken Aldo’s previous role of Design Office Manager. Rory has been a ‘fatherly’ figure in this transition and he remains as comwithted as always, but now in a different role.This transition has been extremely smooth and seamless because Rory and Aldo and the rest of the technical team, chassis and Engine, share the same philosophies, the Ferrari philosophies, the philosophies they have created together and the philosophies of our team. Our beliefs of what makes a good racing car.There are no radical features of this car but logical progressions in all the areas that we feel make a good racing car. It is stiffer, lighter, more stable, and, most importantly with the new tyre regulations, it should be less stressful on the tyres.The transmission is a further progression, now utilising more carbon in the structure to improve stiffness and reduce weight.I am extremely proud of this car and the work of the teams involved, design, manufacturing, assembly and logistics. I am not afraid to again say that I think it is the best car we have produced …so far.I mentioned the requirements for the tyres for 2005 and again, our partnership with Bridgestone will be crucial. The new technologies required means that at the present time there is an extremely steep learning curve. Undoubtedly our opposition have the benefit of numbers at this stage. Our calculations show that Bridgestone and Ferrari have only been able to complete less than 20% of the mileage in testing than the Michelin teams at this stage. But we believe in quality as well as quantity and with the support of Bridgestone we believe our partnership will succeed.Other critical technical partnerships for 2005 will include Shell, particularly for the extra demands placed on Enginemileage, Brembo with whom we have developed an innovative braking system, Magneti Marelli, Sachs, SKF, and BBS. All of these companies have made a huge comwithment to the Ferrari Formula One programme, and they share in our successes and failures. The introduction of the new regulations, which due to the intransigence of several teams, were announced with some delay, meant that we did not have enough time to do the job we wanted to do.The new regulations, aerodynamics, tyres, etc, brought different demands and we decided we needed more time. The addition of the extra GPs, totalling 19 for 2005, meant that mid season updates would be more difficult and it also meant a long season with opportunities to catch up if we made a slow start. We therefore made the decision to start the season with a modified version of the 2004 car and introduce this car after a few races. We believe it is the correct decision, even if the beginning of the year may be a little frustrating.We will begin testing the F2005 next week with Luca Badoer. Michael and Rubens will drive the car after Malaysia. Marc Gene has brought an extra depth to our team and we are delighted he has joined us. His technical feedback and contribution has been excellent and he will heavily involved with the tyre test programme.In my opinion, we are facing one of the most interesting and challenging seasons for some years. The change of regulations will definitely split the field, particularly at the beginning of the season, and the one tyre rule will bring a fascinating element to the races.As always, we cannot guarantee success, we can only guarantee that we will try our best.

Track debut of the F2005 at Mugello circuit

Mugello 1st MarchCircuito: Autodromo del Mugello – 5.245 km – short course 2.760 km Driver: Luca Badoer Car: F2005 Weather: air temperature -3/1 °C, track temperature -1/9 °C; partly cloudy.First day of testing this week for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro at the Mugello circuit. Today, Luca Badoer was at the wheel for the track debut of the F2005.The Scuderia’s official test driver completed a total of 61 laps (9 of them on the short version of the track,) the quickest being a 1’22”210.‘When a new car takes its first steps, it is always a very emotional moment,’ said Luca. ‘This morning there was obviously some tension, which quickly lifted, going out on the track and seeing that everything is fine. After these initial laps, I can say that we are satisfied.’Testing continues at this track tomorrow, again with Badoer driving the F2005.

In Bahrain with the F2005

Maranello, 24th March ‘ Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro will line up with the F2005 for the Bahrain Grand Prix, which takes place at the Sakhir circuit on 3rd April. The decision was taken this morning in Maranello, after analysing data from the last three days of testing at Mugello.‘In the next race we will be running with the new car,’ commented Ferrari Managing Director Jean Todt. ‘The Mugello test, which saw both race drivers try the F2005 for the first time, confirmed its potential. We will have two F2005, one for each driver, while the for the spare, we will use one of the F2004 M used in Australia and Malaysia. The contrasting results of the first two races gave us a positive incentive. Along with Bridgestone, we decided to accelerate the development programme and we believe that the combination of various new elements ‘ car and tyre ‘ will allow us to move back on the attack after two Grands Prix on the defensive. I have to say I am very happy with the way the team and all our partners have reacted to try and quickly return to our true level of competitiveness.’Forza Ferrari!

 

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