Briatore: Ferrari should give up on this year

[Dare]

After just one race I think it's a bit drastic or is he trying to keep
his name in the news to be Bernie/s replacement for  Jean T



Former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore says Ferrari should switch their focus to next season as their gap to Red Bull out on track is an "eternity."

Despite appearing to match Red Bull during pre-season testing, Ferrari came up short last weekend in Australia.

The team's top qualifier, Fernando Alonso, was 1.44s behind Sebastian Vettel in qualifying while in the race, he could only manage fourth place, finishing 31.7s behind the Red Bull driver.

And although the Melbourne event was just the first race of the campaign, Briatore believes the gap between the Scuderia and the reigning World Champs is too big for Ferrari to close.

"It may sound absurd, but I think Ferrari should focus on the 2012 car," Briatore told Finland's Turun Sanomat newspaper.

"Ferrari, of course, have everything that is needed - engineering skills and resource - but the half a second to Red Bull is an eternity."

But it's not just Ferrari who Briatore believes should give up on this season. He also reckons Michael Schumacher should call it quits and call it quits for good.

"I've always been against Schumacher's return. No 40-year-old can be the same as a 20-year-old."


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[Jericoke]

First of all, second place still has tremendous value under Concorde.

Second... we saw last year that the reliability of of RBR can be a little suspect.  I know that Michael Schumacher won at least one championship because Ferrari was more reliable than McLaren.  You don't have to have the fastest car to win the championship, just the best.

Third... have the rules for 2012 been published?  Can we expect drastic changes again?  Is the engine formula set in stone?

[John S]

I think it's more about giving Ferrari a kick up the pants in public to try to get them to raise their game for his own man Alonso. Briatore having years of experience as a team principal knows it's much too early to give up on this year's car, especially as McLaren turned their fortunes around in just two or three weeks.

[David]

Briatore is an idiot! Why would somebody with his experience in the sport vomit such drivel? 

[cosworth151]

Blabio who?

[Canada Darrell™]

Flav, for someone who gave F1 it's biggest black eye I say to you...STFU. 

[Williamsfan]

Definitely a case of Flavio trying to prevent people forgetting him.  I'll remember his sweaty shirts without doubt, and his cheating.  And his mouth that never stopped despite never engaging with his brain. 

[Cam]

I am sure that after the initial shock of realising how profound and significant this sage advice is, that everybody at Maranello has been working all weekend to rejig their engineering development plans along these lines.

Likewise Im sure MS has spent the weekend visiting prospective retirement villages in the cantons.

There is no sound basis for anythign he is saying, on so many levels, its either an april fools story, or Flavio has lost it completely, my money would be on the former, but wouls still give you reasonable odds on the latter.

Remember the first race of2010, Alonso won and everyone was crying about how boring the year was going to be?

p.s. last year there was a story about Alonso and Webber swapping teams that came out about this time of year.

[lkjohnson1950]

I'm surprized he didn't say Felipe must leard to crash when he hears the message "You are too slow, Felipe. Do you understand?"

Lonny

[Andy B]

I agree with him!!
Ferrari should stop all developement  for 2011 and set a high target for 2012 or maybe they should not even compete in F1 and should build a bike and race in Moto GP.

Alonso should retire and become a lifeguard in Malaga.
Massa will also be out of work and will live in a retirement home as companion to Rubins.
MS should open a shop in Berlin selling Ferrari parts.
Oh! And Flav should give all his dosh to me to live a life following the GP circus, along with clowns, around the world.

There sorted!!

[stealthhaggis]

I agree with him!!
Ferrari should stop all developement  for 2011 and set a high target for 2012 or maybe they should not even compete in F1 and should build a bike and race in Moto GP.

Alonso should retire and become a lifeguard in Malaga.
Massa will also be out of work and will live in a retirement home as companion to Rubins.
MS should open a shop in Berlin selling Ferrari parts.
Oh! And Flav should give all his dosh to me to live a life following the GP circus, along with clowns, around the world.

There sorted!!

  Makes sense to me! 

[cosworth151]

I agree with him!!
Ferrari should stop all developement  for 2011 and set a high target for 2012 or maybe they should not even compete in F1 and should build a bike and race in Moto GP.

Actually, they're going to build a real F150 for Kimi to run in the NASCAR Truck Series. 

[lkjohnson1950]

That would be interesting. Unfortunately KBR runs Toyotas. Who would have thought we would see Kimi in a Toyota?

Lonny

[Dare]

I think we can thank kubica for Kimi heading to NASCAR

[cosworth151]

That would be interesting. Unfortunately KBR runs Toyotas. Who would have thought we would see Kimi in a Toyota?

Lonny

It's perfect for Kimi. Nobody will care when he totals out those junkers.