Hope you've all had a nice weekend in the sun folks Anyway, just picked up this story: Ferrari is set to switch its development focus to its 2012 campaign from September. Now this could just be to throw off the others into thinking Ferrari have given up on this year, or it could be a genuine statement. Ferrari's situation is that Alonso has a 89 point deficit to Sebastian Vettel and then there is the even larger 168 point gap between Ferrari and constuctors' table leader Red Bull. Ferrari may assume that the WCC is gone as any gains Alonso can make Massa will probably loose for them. But does this mean that they have also given up on Alonso's WDC charge? So thoughts and opinions?
Double posting on my own thread but Ferrari have just been given some good news Pirelli is set to stop using its hardest compound for the rest of the season The key reason for doing this is Pirelli saying their medium tyre is durrable enough: They then also added: Maybe Ferrari will change their mind then
Well Vettel has pretty much got the WDC wrapped up and I think Mclaren are the only team that can challenge Red Bull for the WCC (Massa prevents Ferrari) so it is probably the right decision, although it did not work for Mercedes last year. The one thing I want of Pirelli is that they do not chicken out of their fast degrading tyres approach, I do not want them to slowly become Bridgestone, so I am glad they are abandoning their hard tyre which was pretty ****.
Balls... We need Ferrari to help make the title fight interesting. So many teams have done the same in the past and its come to naught. No massive changes in regs next season (unless I missed something under this rock that is the USA) so I'd say, keep pushing.... carry some momentum in to next season.
I don't see that happening. 2 great drivers versus a great driver is only gonna end in one outcome. Hamilton and Button have a better car at the moment and better momentum to beat Ferrari(Alonso). Good call from Ferrari, I expect McLaren to do the same if they dont win the next 2 races. What they need to do now is understand there warm up issues.
I think the title is his so don't worry. Next year though if Ferrari & Mclaren have a car that is strong as the one they have now then I think the RBR domination will start to decrease.
they havn't won any of the last 3 races, tehy havn't had the best car for a while now, McLaren have, maybe Ferrari are concentrating on next years car because they will have to out-upgrade McLaren as well as RBR, and they realise they probably can't.
True but I think only problem Ferrari have is tyre temperatures. Places like Suzuka, Singapore, Abu Dhabi & Brazil will suit Ferrari and who's to say Red Bull can't compete in terms of upgrading their car? I still think they have the best car.
I am pretty sure McLaren have the fastest car now. We saw only 1 tenth away on a Red Bull Domination circuit, last year 1.7 secs quicker at Hungary in qualifying. In Spa where Red Bull will struggle, I think it will be JB or LH on pole.
I agree at Spa and Monza Red Bull will struggle. I do think that Mclaren will bring the best low downforce packages but at suzuka & singapore where alot of downforce is needed and good aerodynamics I still see a Red Bull pole. These circuits suit them more especially added with their high temperatures.
Yeah I agree, but it will be close, not 5 tenths or 1 second, the gap will probably be no more than 2 tenths at Suzuka and Singapore.
I think Ferrari will challenge Red Bull and Singapore and Suzuka. Alonso won at Singapore last year and they have got more relative downforce this year, and Ferrari have said that if the cars stay pretty much the same then they think that they will walk Suzuka.
I think Ferrari will only do this if Red Bull have a strong showing at Spa and Monza. I also think Red Bull and McLaren will take the plunge next month if it's looking processional for Red Bull. Great news about Pirelli. They looked as if they were going down a more conventional route so I'm pleased with this sudden turnaround and the scrapping of the awful hard tyre. It was bad at the start of the season and then they made it worse in Barcelona.
I fully expect Ferrari to commit to 2012 soon but there is the possibility that this is a ploy to encourage McLaren to put less energy into their 2011 campaign, with the possibility of stealing second in the Constructors' Championship. However, I think this is a slim possibility. Vettel's lead is almost unassailable, so I expect them to re-focus pretty soon. And really, McLaren ought to do the same so as to make amends to what is fast becoming almost traditional: a poor start. I also expect McLaren to take second in the Constructors' quite easily.
