Millions of Ferrari fans were buoyed by Michael Schumacher’s performance in the early stages of the Bahrain Grand Prix. But post-race comments made by Rubens Barrichello suggest the Scuderia and tyre supplier Bridgestone are not yet in synch.
Millions of Ferrari fans were buoyed by Michael Schumacher’s performance in the early stages of the Bahrain Grand Prix. But post-race comments made by Rubens Barrichello suggest the Scuderia and tyre supplier Bridgestone are not yet in synch.
Although the team suggested otherwise, Ferrari’s decision to introduce the F2005 at Manama, a month earlier than expected, was ultimately a failure. Barrichello’s F2005 was plagued by transmission problems and Schumacher, who had qualified as high as second on the grid and challenged eventual winner Fernando Alonso (Renault) in the early stages of the race, dropped out as a result of problems with his car’s hydraulics.
“I believe that there were many positives to be drawn from this weekend in Bahrain. We have improved in a lot of areas compared to Malaysia and we were competitive. We are in a good position going into the next races and we know that we can challenge for victory. I am convinced that we will win some races this season in the F2005,” Schumacher said.
“It was also encouraging to see how quick the Bridgestones were over the course of a single lap,” the seven-time world champion added.
That fact may have meant little to Barrichello, who suffered the disappointment of finishing outside the points in Bahrain. The Brazilian struggled with threadbare tyres and was passed by David Coulthard, who finished eighth, in the closing stages of the race.
The usually even-tempered Barrichello reportedly told his team there was “no point” developing the F2005 if “the tyres were not (developing too)”.
“I couldn’t brake,” he said, “I couldn’t put the power on. They (Barrichello’s competitors) were just picking me off.”
Felipe Massa, who was driving a Michelin-shod Sauber Petronas on Sunday, said it had been so easy to pass Barrichello that the move could not be described as “real overtaking”.
Ferrari team principal Jean Todt commented: “The situation seems very dark … but we just need to be reliable and work better with Bridgestone.”
Schumacher, meanwhile, rubbished speculation that his bid for an eighth drivers’ title was over: “We shouldn’t be taken in by the first three races. The season still has a long way to go and there are sixteen races left. A lot can still happen. As I have said, I expect to win races in the F2005. I have not given up on the title!”
