15/05/2006
NEWS STORY
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One does not need to have watched the Spanish Grand Prix, nor sneaked a peek at the timesheets, to know that things did not go Ferrari's way. One look at Jean Todt's face as he enters the room is enough to tell you that the Italian outfit's winning streak is at an end, for now.
He takes his seat and awaits the inevitable.
"After qualifying, everything seemed to be set for a Ferrari victory," says one of the assembled journos. "You held all the jokers, more fuel on board, more fresh sets of tyres. What went wrong in the race?"
There's a long pause, during which you can almost hear Todt draw in a deep, deep breath: "We felt we would be stronger today and the others less strong and it didn't happen," he finally replies, "probably due to the evolution of the track, the evolution of the car package, and with the tyres in those circumstances.
"One week ago, in Nurburgring, on the same strategy, similar conditions, it went completely on our side," he continues, "and we were expecting that it would go in the same direction today. The track temperature, the different compound of tyres did not make it happen."
Asked if there was anything Ferrari could have changed today to make it happen, he responds: "We have to nominate the tyres on Wednesday or Thursday, I think…"
Looking back, do the team now regret that it didn't try to put Michael on pole which would have been easy, considering the real pace of his qualifying lap?
"I don't think that at the end it would have changed a lot," admits the Frenchman. "Michael gained one position so maybe it would, maybe it would not. But anyway, the race is over. We have to focus on Monte Carlo now, Monte Carlo and then Silverstone."
It's pointed out that Felipe Massa claimed the fastest lap of the race, so at a certain moment, the pace was there.
"But not enough," he hits back, "especially considering the overall pace of the race, mainly of the winner.
"When Felipe could maybe have gained one position he was in traffic," Todt continues, "he never had a clear track to take advantage of, which was not so different to Fisichella."
However, surely Ferrari is encouraged by the Brazilian's performance over the course of the weekend.
"That's why, in a way, it is encouraging to be so unhappy and to create such a disappointment and a surprise to the others because we finished second and fourth," he replies. "I remember, a few weeks ago, everyone would have cried that it was a miracle.
"I think we have just finished the first third of the championship, twelve races to go and we are 19 points behind in the manufacturers, 15 in the drivers, so many things can still happen and we are in a position to fight."
Yet surely Ferrari don't rule out other teams getting closer, because today it seemed Ferrari and Renault were…"
"Last week some competitors were much closer," the Frenchman interrupts, seeing where it was heading.. "I don't think you must conclude that it is a situation for each Grand Prix. It was a situation for this Grand Prix. Clearly you have two teams who are particularly strong and one was stronger than us today."
"So how confident do Ferrari feel about Bridgestone's potential for Monaco?" he is asked.
"I don't know," he admits. "I can answer for you after the race in Monte Carlo. I don't know yet what tyres we will have. I don't know what will be the tyres, how could I answer to you what will be the situation of the tyres in Monaco. I don't have a clue."
"But you must have a general feeling about the tyres or the potential," asks the journo, clearly not sensing Todt's growing frustration, there is little smiling this week.
"They did a very good job, but from one race to another one it depends on whether we make the right choice, if we bring the right choice. We have so many tyres to choose for Monaco, it's a specific circuit, you must be very soft. Saying that, it will not be an easy task. That's why we will hopefully do some good testing this week, in Fiorano and Paul Ricard, in order to make the right choice."
Inevitably, the topic turns to the driver line-up for 2007, which of course means Michael Schumacher. "Is it significant that Michael said this week that it will be the end of the year before he announces his intentions?" asks a journalist.
"You know, in a way, it's a bit tiring to always have speculation and we know that once we announce the driving, we will start on other speculation," says the Frenchman, now visibly tiring of these sort of questions.
"When we give an answer to those new speculations, we will no doubt have some other ones, so in a way, to concentrate on speculation at the moment on drivers is quite good because we don't get on to other matters.
"Michael said, if I want I can…" he pauses. "Together with Michael. We have a good harmony in the team. Everybody knows that Michael is spoiled here, which he deserves, he's like a spoiled kid in the team, together with Felipe. They get on very well, we have a good…" he pauses again. "You must look at the pictures taken on the podium at the last Grand Prix (Europe). You can see the harmony. So I want Michael to be happy, I want Felipe to be happy. Saying that, we need to make sure to secure that Ferrari is in a strong situation for the present and for the future. That's what we will do and together with Michael, when Michael feels comfortable with the announcement, we should announce something around Monza."
"There were some rumours in the paddock this weekend that one driver might be announced around Monaco," says a journo.
"You see," says Todt, now clearly exasperated, "other rumours. I just mentioned something now."
Yet it continues: "For Michael, originally to say it was going to be June and now later, does that compromise Ferrari's position?" he is asked.
"Not at all!" he hits back.
"And if Michael makes a decision, would you then have to look for a strong lead driver next year?" adds the journo, surely putting himself forward for the 'dumbest question of the year' award.
"You will see when we announce what our choice (will be) and you will then be able to comment (on) them." Replies Todt, as though dealing with a naughty child.
"But you announce everything in one piece," the 'interrogator continues, "you don't do like others and announce step by step?"
"No we don't," Todt admits. "Everything is in one big piece. One go."
Ron Dennis has indicated that McLaren will be ready to announce its driver line-up for next season within the next two or three weeks. How will the Woking team's decision impact Ferrari?
"Maybe Flavio will be happy," Todt smiles. "I don't know. I read that Flavio has meetings with the drivers. I read what you write, so maybe they going in right direction, I really don't know."
The Frenchman is asked for his reaction to the fact that Renault have signed to new Concorde Agreement.
"Good," he replies without hesitation. "That's the good news of the weekend. Bad news for you because you will have to stop talking about the GPMA, a parallel championship and all that, but good news for Formula One."
Finally, he's asked about the "engine freeze", which was thrown out last week with a majority of 8-4?
"If you read the rules of 2008," he replies, once again sounding as if he's dealing with a naughty child, "the engine rules are already written and it's a freezing of the engine for '08, '09, '10. If you compete in the championship you have to accept the rules in which you are competing. It's written."
With that he pushes back his chair, nods to the assembled journalists and heads off to the motorhome, where he and the rest of the team will begin planning for Monaco, and how best to resume that winning streak.