da giorgio_deglianto » 03/07/2007, 11:49
Ferrari stay realistic despite France win
Ferrari's sporting director Stefano Domenicali says the Italian squad are keeping their feet on the ground despite their dominant one-two at the French Grand Prix.
Kimi Raikkonen returned to winning ways on Sunday to give Ferrari their fourth win of the season, leading teammate Felipe Massa to their first one-two since last year's German Grand Prix.
Raikkonen and Massa finished nearly 30 seconds in front of third-placed Lewis Hamilton, whose McLaren team were unable to keep their momentum after three consecutive victories.
Domenicali reckons, however, that the team should not read too much into Sunday's gap, as he expects every race to be very different.
"We don't have to over-estimate or under-estimate any kind of this information, race by race, because once again, Hamilton decided to have a different strategy and in the traffic he was following behind," said Domenicali.
"As I said before, I think that it is important to be concentrated on the package that we are presenting, on the strategy that we are doing, because every race is different.
"For example, we have seen all this weekend Alonso was struggling because he was in the middle of other cars so we don't have to be too happy about having 30 seconds at the end of the race on Hamilton.
"We are very happy because we first of all we cut down by ten points the gap in the constructors' championship and that was important for sure. Now we can see a bit more closer their back, so once again, that's the best thing of this weekend. But we know that the gap is sometimes, above all in the last stint of the race, is not real.
"On our side, it was the second race for the engine so it was more important to bring the car back with no problems and I think also the other managing the position, considering the traffic situation, considering the points and considering where the others are, so that's the most important thing, for sure."
Despite their victory, Ferrari are still 25 points behind McLaren in the constructors' championship, while Massa and Raikkonen are 17 and 22 points behind Hamilton respectively in the drivers' standings.
Domenicali says their gap to McLaren means the Maranello team will have to be aggressive during the rest of the season in order to catch up.
"They had two jokers to play, because the points that we have is for sure, is more than 20 points so for sure we need to attack to be aggressive and the other thing that we cannot lose any chance, that's something that we know," he added.
"That's part of racing, that's part of our job. And maybe with this condition, under pressure, we can give you more.
"They have lost points today and for sure, our objective is that also in Silverstone this gap has to be less than what we have now. And then when the points are close, then of course the strategy can be different on their side, and also on our side.
"I have to say that the situation of championship of today, what we have to do is really to be very aggressive and very motivated, in order to be on their shoulder as soon as possible."
Fonte Autosport