Formula 1: Ferrari to Unveil its 2012 Car on February 7

The 2011 Formula 1  season is certainly one Ferrari would like to forget. Despite former champion Fernando Alonso giving it his best, in the end the Scuderia had only one win to show and a poor third place in the constructors’ championship.

Ferrari’s head of communication, Luca Colajanni, told Italian publication Autosprint that the 2012 car, upon which the Scuderia has focused its resources since August, will be revealed at the first official test of the new season on February 7 at Jerez racetrack in Spain.

Colajanni added that it will be “very different” from the F150o Italia – which doesn’t really come as a surprise, given that this year’s car was clearly inferior to the Red Bull and the McLaren.
The new Ferrari F1 car will be presented in early February, in time to take part in the first test session ahead of the season", he said. "At the moment it's not important to say whether the new project is going to be extreme. For sure, it will be a clean break with the past, a very different program, because it aims to win and marks a change of mentality by the entire team.

Fernando Alonso storms to Silverstone win

 

Fernando Alonso took Ferrari's first win of 2011 with a stunning drive at a thrilling British Grand Prix.The Spaniard took the lead following a pit-stop problem for Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel but the Ferrari had genuine race-winning pace.Vettel was left to fend off team-mate Mark Webber, who was told to hold position by team boss Christian Horner.

Lewis Hamilton finished fourth, holding off Ferrari's Felipe Massa in an exciting last-lap duel."This isn't a gift to Ferrari," said BBC F1 co-commentator David Coulthard. "They've got to the lead of this race by merit."Jenson Button retired following a problem at his final pit stop, when he set off to rejoin the race without a wheel nut on his right front wheel and he had to stop in the pit exit.Vettel's race also turned on a pit error. The German took the lead at the start from Webber, who began from pole, as the drivers had to cope with tricky conditions on a track that was wet over half its length but dry over the other.

Vettel admitted that Ferrari had deserved their victory: "I think you have to accept fair and square Ferrari beat us today."There has been a bit of a trend over the last couple of races, they have been very strong on race days, so it shows us we need to keep pushing and improving the car."He added: "It would have been a tight race because Ferrari had very good pace. It was not just us being unlucky and finishing second because of a mistake. Fernando was very competitive."A delighted Alonso hailed his Ferrari colleagues as he spoke of his victory.

Ferrari confirms departure from FOTA

With Red Bull also rumoured to be leaving and HRT having departed in January, it potentially leaves the teams’ organisation representing just nine of the 12 outfits in F1.Ferrari said FOTA’s drive has run its course. It claimed it would continue to try to make the Resource Restriction Agreement more effective and efficient” but added: “We must return to a situation where Formula 1 is really a test bed for advanced technological research, the results of which can be transferred to Granturismo cars.

Ferrari issued the following statement: Ferrari has informed FOTA President Martin Whitmarsh that it is leaving the organisation made up of the teams competing in the Formula 1 World Championship.

It was a difficult decision and a great deal of thought went into it. It was taken reluctantly after analysing the current situation and the stalemate when it came to debate on some issues that were at the core of why the association was formed, indeed with Ferrari and Luca di Montezemolo as the main instigator and promoter of ideas. It’s not by chance that the President of the Maranello company held that same position and job title within FOTA up to the end of 2009.

Some of the major achievements of the association during these years, also worked out in conjunction with the FIA, centred around cost reduction, which was of significant benefit to everyone, the big teams and the small ones.

Ferrari was on the front line in this area, even before the birth of FOTA and it intends to continue down this route to ensure the sustainability of the sport in the long term. Now however, it is necessary to find some new impetus to move it along because FOTA’s drive has run its course, despite the excellent work of current President, Martin Whitmarsh in trying to reach agreement between the various positions for the common good.