Formula 1: Ferrari launch F150 for 2011 season
Ferrari launched their car for the 2011 season in Italy on Friday, 28 January, 2011.
The F150 became the first car to be launched ahead of the 2011 season while all the other teams will launch their cars later in the weeks to come.
Apart from the scarlet car, three other teams will launch their cars in January. Lotus, Renault and Sauber have set 31 January as their launch dates. All the other teams will launch their cars later in February.
2010’s champion team Red Bull will launch their car on 1 February whereas McLaren-Mercedes will launch their car on the 4th.
In 2010, Ferrari struggled to match the pace of Red Bull and McLaren. The scarlet car did well on the race days but could not put up a strong performance in the practice and qualifying sessions.
The team principal of Ferrari stated earlier, “For 2011 our goals are very clear, that we are aiming to win both the titles, constructors' and drivers' titles, this must be the goal of our team.”
He further added that the teams need to be competitive from the first race in order to win championships otherwise the chances of winning the title become slimmer.
Runner-up of 2010 and leading Ferrari driver, Fernando Alonso would be the first man to test the car later on Friday afternoon, weather permitting.
After the first test, the car will further be going through a shake down test on 30 January and the man behind the wheel on that occasion will be the Brazilian Felipe Massa.
Both the Ferrari drivers are optimistic of performing well in the 2011 season and are confident that the team will provide them with a race-winning car.
Massa was below par in 2010 and was not able to support his teammate in winning the constructors’ championship. However, the Brazilian was returning from a head injury which he sustained during the 2009 season, which could have been the reason for his below-par performance.
2011 may be a better year for Ferrari and Massa. The team also has high expectations from Massa, who has been under pressure to perform but received much support recently from teammate Alonso to do well in the season.
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