Raik
February 13th, 2004, 03:58 PM
What do you think?
The Mercedes-powered outfit was the first to get its new MP4-19 challenger running this winter but it has not really impressed the testing timesheets.
'It's difficult to say where they are at the moment,' rival technical director Patrick Head, of the Grove-based BMW-Williams team, said on Thursday.
Particularly over long-runs, team racers Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard don't look special, perhaps due to some niggling new-engine bugs. 'We've heard that,' said the Briton, 'and that maybe they're running with it turned down. But I've learned never to underestimate a team like McLaren.'
Williams' racer Ralf Schumacher agrees that, despite adverse reports from the Spanish testing-venues, McLaren will fire-up in Australia 'very strong. 'Believe me,' the German told ITV-F1. 'They have had enough time to prepare their car and even with their so-called old-car they were very competitive.'
Below is what Mick Stated:
Schumi not afraid of McLaren
13/02/04
Ferrari are set to face a stiff challenge from Renault and Williams this season - but not McLaren - according to six-time World Champion Michael Schumacher.
advertisement
The German told Gazette dello Sport he could not see McLaren being competitive this year with the lap-times they were setting in testing. He did throw in a word of caution, however, careful not to misread the tactics of the team.
"I see Williams and Renault are really strong, probably more than McLaren," he said. "But it's impossible to judge from the outside, as no one knows what they are really doing at McLaren. They aren't setting fast laptimes, that's true, but maybe they aren't looking for it.
"So it's pointless to talk about these things now, it's premature, we'll have to wait. Williams and us are certainly going better than others, but everything depends on the current tests and on the moment those laptimes are set."
Ferrari have been flying in pre-season with their new F2004, something that has given Schumacher plenty of heart ahead of the new campaign.
"I'm happy that the new car allows us to set such significant laptimes already, as it proves that we have great potential," he said.
Such has been the form of the Italian giants that they have smashed lap times at Mugello and Fiorano in testing.
"It is important to have such improvements: the lowering of over two seconds on the lap set by Rubens (Barrichello) is a remarkable achievement that puts us in a strong position compared to the rest."
Schumacher also hinted that Ferrari may use the F2004 in the opening race of the season at Melbourne on March 7, which would be a shift in strategy from last season when they started the campaign with the old F2002.
The Mercedes-powered outfit was the first to get its new MP4-19 challenger running this winter but it has not really impressed the testing timesheets.
'It's difficult to say where they are at the moment,' rival technical director Patrick Head, of the Grove-based BMW-Williams team, said on Thursday.
Particularly over long-runs, team racers Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard don't look special, perhaps due to some niggling new-engine bugs. 'We've heard that,' said the Briton, 'and that maybe they're running with it turned down. But I've learned never to underestimate a team like McLaren.'
Williams' racer Ralf Schumacher agrees that, despite adverse reports from the Spanish testing-venues, McLaren will fire-up in Australia 'very strong. 'Believe me,' the German told ITV-F1. 'They have had enough time to prepare their car and even with their so-called old-car they were very competitive.'
Below is what Mick Stated:
Schumi not afraid of McLaren
13/02/04
Ferrari are set to face a stiff challenge from Renault and Williams this season - but not McLaren - according to six-time World Champion Michael Schumacher.
advertisement
The German told Gazette dello Sport he could not see McLaren being competitive this year with the lap-times they were setting in testing. He did throw in a word of caution, however, careful not to misread the tactics of the team.
"I see Williams and Renault are really strong, probably more than McLaren," he said. "But it's impossible to judge from the outside, as no one knows what they are really doing at McLaren. They aren't setting fast laptimes, that's true, but maybe they aren't looking for it.
"So it's pointless to talk about these things now, it's premature, we'll have to wait. Williams and us are certainly going better than others, but everything depends on the current tests and on the moment those laptimes are set."
Ferrari have been flying in pre-season with their new F2004, something that has given Schumacher plenty of heart ahead of the new campaign.
"I'm happy that the new car allows us to set such significant laptimes already, as it proves that we have great potential," he said.
Such has been the form of the Italian giants that they have smashed lap times at Mugello and Fiorano in testing.
"It is important to have such improvements: the lowering of over two seconds on the lap set by Rubens (Barrichello) is a remarkable achievement that puts us in a strong position compared to the rest."
Schumacher also hinted that Ferrari may use the F2004 in the opening race of the season at Melbourne on March 7, which would be a shift in strategy from last season when they started the campaign with the old F2002.