Needless to say, most of those questions focused on Michael Schumacher's return to Formula One with another team and how his own drivers – Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa – will cope with the task of racing against him. However, since Alonso was the one to break Schu's supremacy in Formula One a few years ago – beating the German driver two times in a row before he announced his F1 quit – Domenicali believes his new driver will have no problem doing it again in 2010.
However, the Italian official stressed the fact that this will only happen if Ferrari will be able to secure Alonso a car with at least the same level of competitiveness as Mercedes'.
“As Michael decided to address this challenge he is convinced he will have a car which can give him the possibility to show once again the driver that he is. Last year when we tackled the issue of substituting Felipe (Massa) we thought about him because we are convinced that Michael is an extraordinary, very strong driver,” said Domenicali.
“From this point of view, Fernando has all that is necessary to defeat him. But a driver can be the best in the world but without the best tools, even the best in the world will have problems winning. It will be up to us to give him the right car,” added the Ferrari team principal.
Although admitting that seeing Schumacher race for another team after his 14-year stint at Ferrari would be like an “open wound,” Domenicali insisted that no one should judge the 41-year old for his decision. Especially after all he did for Ferrari in the last decade and a half.
“We should not forget history, what Michael has done with Ferrari, just as we should not forget what Ferrari has done for Michael. Now we turn the page it is a further stimulus for us that we feel within ourselves. We have to show - also to Michael – that this is the strongest team. It's a constructive stimulus, a greater will to show that we can win,” added Domenicali.
Google News