Ferrari expects a crucial 2011 season

Although the opening in Melbourne traditionally relies on luck and the reliability of the new machines, and therefore requires caution, the “ragazzi” from Maranello are confident. A lot of work has been done during the off-season: new faces have appeared within the internal structure of the Scuderia, a solid car bolstered by the various tests, drivers and a team at full throttle. All the ingredients are therefore present to finally take a step forward.

A step to overcome

Certainly, the man most eager to clash is named Fernando Alonso. The Spanish driver was very close to winning the title in his first year in red, just as Kimi Räikkönen did in 2007. To take the next step, the double world champion knows he has become the star player of the team, the leader, the figurehead. Now that he knows all the workings of Ferrari, no longer hesitates to exchange texts with his mechanics, Alonso can aim very high from the start. “For me, there is only one way to be satisfied,” he told the German press, “if I win, the title will be mine, I want my revenge.” Obviously, the great family that the Scuderia now represents for Alonso can only help him.

A large family

In an interview given a few days ago to the Spanish daily newspaper El Pais, the Spaniard reiterated his love for red: « From the outside, you know it’s a great team with tifosi all over the world, carrying a legend and an exceptional history. But when I arrived, everything was better than I expected. People are very warm with the drivers, pay attention to every detail, and make us feel at home. There is a lot of communication, and we work more openly. There is more contact than in other teams, where they prefer to send you an email rather than engage in conversation ». Furthermore, Alonso is also very confident about achieving his goals because « Ferrari is always at the maximum level. It’s the most consistent team. Here you know that even on bad days, you can aim for the podium and win races. And if something no longer works, the engineers know how to react quickly and give you favorable conditions to win ». Finally, the Asturian driver concludes on the new F150° Italia: “The new car? Reliability is always important. If it has that, then we can focus on speed.” Which seems to be the case…

Massa, the year of make or break

Let’s not forget Felipe Massa. He is the survivor of three years of all dangers. After narrowly missing a title in 2008, a brush with death in 2009, and his challenging return in 2010, 2011 also presents itself as a pivotal year for him. There is no more room for indulgence, the little Brazilian must shine if he wants to continue seeing life in red. “I am ready to take the wheel and I believe that the team has prepared optimally after all the kilometers we covered during the winter tests,” he stated on the ferrari.com website. “The car seems reliable, but that is not enough, it also needs to be fast. The beginning of a new season is always a special moment, and this year even more so due to the many new aspects we will have to get used to during the races. I think we will witness very different and more spectacular races.”

More than anything this year, the motto at Ferrari is victory at all costs, even if it means elbowing its way among the other top teams…