Present at the Autosport Awards last weekend, team principal Stefano Domenicali revealed that the engineers back at Maranello are already developing the necessary parts for the 2010 programme and everybody is going full speed with their work. The aim is to start the 2010 season cleaner than in 2009, when they needed 4 races to score their first points in the season.
“This year was difficult for many reasons, but we need to look ahead. (...) I am optimistic because we cannot go lower! I think that we will go higher. Everyone realizes that this is not what we need,” said the Italian boss, while present at the aforementioned gala over the past weekend.
In addition, he admitted that changing the drivers' lineup is likely to bring a positive aspect into it, as it will create a fresh air at the Maranello headquarters. Fernando Alonso will partner Felipe Massa next season, after replacing former F1 champion and future WRC racer Kimi Raikkonen.
“He (Alonso) brings fresh air into the team and Fernando with Felipe we are looking forward to starting the season,” added Domenicali.
Alonso will not be able to walk, talk and race like a Ferrari-an until January 1st, when his current contract with Renault will have run out. However, he did make a couple of visits to the Maranello factory during the past month, in order to get closer to his future collaborators, engineers and mechanics of the Scuderia.
He even emphasized the importance of maintaining a close, respect-based relationship with all the mechanics at Maranello, something that already differs him from his predecessor Kimi Raikkonen.
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