Current Ferrari

Ferrari

FIA Entry: Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
Drivers Car 5: Fernando Alonso
Car 6: Felipe Massa
Engine: Ferrari V8
Chairman: Luca di Montezemolo
Team Principal: Stefano Domenicali
Technical Director: Aldo Costa
Race Engineer Car 5: Andrea Stella
Race Engineer Car 6: Rob Smedley

Stats as of end 2010 Season

First Entered: 1950
Races Entered: 813
Race Wins: 215
Pole Positions: 205
Fastest Laps: 224
Driver World Championships: 15
Constructor World Championships: 16

Team History

Ferrari are the only team to have taken part in the F1 World Championship since it's inception in 1950. They are synonymous with F1 and, for many, the reason why they follow the sport. Ferrrai fans, or Tifosi, have clubs across the World and can be see supporting their beloved red cars from China to Brazil.

Pre-War

Enzo Ferrari founded Scuderia (Italian for Stable) Ferrari in 1929 as the race entrants for Alfa Romeo. In 1938 Alfa decided to create their own race team and Scuderia Ferrari became part of the Alfa Course team. Disagreeing with the decision Enzo Ferrari was dismissed. As part of his contract he wasn't allowed to enter motor sport under his own name for 4 years. Ferrari started to build his own car in 1939 but the start of WWII meant the Ferrari factory was used for other purposes

Before the World Championships

The first racing Ferrari was the Tipo 125 with a 12 cylinder 1.5 litre engine developed in 1947. This was the first car to bear the now legendary Ferrari name. In 1948 the 125 F1 was built with a supercharged version of the 12 cylinder engine which won 5 Grands Prix in 1949.

The 1950's

Ferrari missed the first race of the first World Championship season with their first entry being at Monaco with the 125 F1. The first V12 powered Ferrari appeared at the Belgian Grand Prix that year and Ascari finished 5th.

Ferrari's first F1 win came at the British Grand Prix in 1951 with the Tipo 375 in the hands of Froilan Gonzales. With F1 run to F2 regulations in 1952 and '53, causing the withdrawal of Alfa Romeo, Ferrari dominated and Alberto Ascari in the Tipo 500, with a 4 cylinder 2 litre engine, won the Drivers World Championship both years.

1954 saw the introduction of the 2.5 litre formula and Ferrari had new competition from Maserati, Lancia and Mercedes. The new Mercedes team were too strong and Ferrari could only manage two races wins.

Ferrari only won one race in 1955 and for 1956 used chassis bought from the now defunct Lancia team. With Mercedes withdrawal Fangio moved to Ferrari and duly won his 3rd consecutive championship. Still using the ageing Lancia chassis in in 1957 Ferrari failed to win a race. 1958 saw Mike Hawthorn win the Drivers Championship in the new 246 Dino, named after Enzo Ferrari's recently deceased son. Ferrari missed out to Vanwall in the inaugural year of the Constructors Championship.

1959 saw Tony Brooks, in the Top 246 just miss out on the Drivers Championship to Jack Brabham in a rear engined Cooper.

The 1960's

Slow to react the the obvious advantages of the rear engined cars Ferrari continued with the 246 in 1960 and only managed a single victory.

For 1961 engines sizes were limited to 1.5 litres and Ferrari entered their first rear engined car, the Tipo 156. Based on the previous years F2 car Phil Hill took the Drivers Championship and Ferrari their first Constructors title. With little development to the 156 Ferrari failed to win a race in 1962.

In a season dominated by Jim Clark and Lotus, John Surtees put Ferrari back in the winners circle in 1963 with a win Germany following the introduction of the "Aero" 156 semi-monocoque car. With 3 wins in 1964 Surtees won the Drivers titles by a single point from Graham Hill in the last race of the season and Ferrari took their 2nd constructors title.

Clark and Lotus dominated again in 1965 and Ferrari couldn't compete against the British Garagerists. The new 3 litre engine regulations for 1966 proved more successful and John Surtees won in Belgium and Mexico to take 2nd place in the Drivers Championship. The Tipo 312 didn't do well for Ferrari in 1967 with a highest position of 3rd. Jacky Ickx managed a single win for the Scuderia in 1968 at the French Grand Prix. Continuing with the 312 into 1969 Ferrari again had a barren year.

The 1970's

With Ickx back at Ferrari for 1970 and a with B spec version of the 312 Ferrari won four races, three for Ickx and one for young Swiss driver Clay Regazzoni, in his début year in F1. Ickx finished 2nd in the Drivers Championship to Jochen Rindt, F1's first posthumous World Champion, and Ferrari managed the same position in the constructors title race.

Ickx and Mario Andretti won races in 1971 but the season was dominated by Jackie Stewart and his Tyrrell car. Ickx won a single race in 1972 but, as the team continued with the 312B, they were outpaced but Lotus and Tyrrell in 1973.

A young Austrian driver by the name of Niki Lauda was partnered with Regazzoni for 1974 and the team regrouped under the leader ship of Luca di Montezemolo. Lauda won his first race, and Ferrari’s first win since 1972, in Spain. Lauda won again in Holland and Regazzoni in Germany to place Ferrari 2nd in the constructors championship.

Ferrari’s decision to sign Lauda was justified in 1975 as he won the Drivers with some ease, taking 5 race wins. Regazzoni also won the Italian Grand Prix and Ferrari won the Constructors title.

Lauda missed out on the drivers title by a single point to James Hunt in 1976. His season was "interrupted" by an horrific crash at the German Grand Prix at Nurburgring which nearly cost the Austrian his life. Astonishingly Lauda only missed two races but retired at the last race of the season believing the soaking conditions to dangerous to race in. Ferrari won the constructors title.

Lauda was Champion again in 1977 but left the team before the end of the season unhappy at the team's decision to run a 3rd car for Gilles Villeneuve at the Canadian Grand Prix.

For 1978 Ferrari paired Villeneuve alongside Argentine driver Carlos Reutemann. The 312T3, with it's flat 12 engine, wasn't ideal for the new "wing" car technology but Reutemann still managed 4 race wins and Villeneuve took a début win at his home race in Canada.

Reutemann was replaced by Jody Scheckter for 1979 and with the 312 now in T4 guise won the Driver Championship with 4 wins. Villeneuve contributed a further 3 races victories and Ferrari ran away with the Constructors title.

The 1980's

Struggling on with their flat 12 engine for 1980 Ferrari had a dreadful season with 5th place being the best the could manage. Scheckter retired from F1 at the end of 1980 and was replaced by French driver Didier Pironi.

Ferrari moved into a new era in 1981 and introduced a V6 turbo powered car. Although the engine produced plenty of power the 126CK chassis was not quite as good but, in Villeneuve’s hands, Ferrari took two races wins including Monaco, the first for a turbo car in the modern era.

1982 saw a new car designed by Harvey Posthelthwaite which gave their drivers a chassis which could match the engine. However it proved to be a tragic season with Villeneuve losing his life in qualifying at the Belgium Grand Prix and Pironi having an accident which would end his career during practice in Germany. Finishing the season with replacement drivers Patrick Tambay and Mario Andretti, Ferrari won the constructors title.

For 1983 Ferrari had an all French driver line up with Rene Arnoux joining Tambay. Tambay won one race and Arnoux 3 giving Ferrari a 2nd consecutive Constructors title. Michele Alboreto joined Arnoux at Ferrari for 1984 and managed a solitary win at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Arnoux was dismissed from the team after only 1 race in 1985 and was replaced by Swede Stefan Johansson. Alboreto was leading the Drivers championship at the half way point of the season but unreliability cost him the title as he failed to finish the last 5 races of the season.

Ferrari failed to win a race in 1986. For 1987 Gerhard Berger took Johansson's seat and and proved his worth by winning the last two races of the season. Berger won the Italian Grand Prix in 1988 and was the only driver, other than Prost and Senna in McLaren's, to win a race that year.

Nigel Mansell was singed to partner Berger in 1989 and won the opening race of the season. He won again in Hungary and Berger won in Portugal but the Ferrari cars were outclassed by the McLaren machines.

The 90's

1989 World Champion joined Mansell at Ferrari for 1990. Prost and Senna diced for the drivers title through to the Japanese Grand Prix where his hoped were ended when Senna drove into him as they braked for the first corner on the first lap.

Mansell Left Ferrari in 1991 to be replaced by Jean Alesi. Ferrari failed to win a race and Prost's criticism of the team resulted in him being replaced for the last race of the season by Gianni Morbidelli.

1992 to 1995 were lean times for Ferrari win only two wins, Berger in Germany 1994 and Alesi Canada 1995 before double World Champion Michael Schumacher joined the team from Benetton for 1996.

The Schumacher Era

Schumacher won 3 races for Ferrari in 1996 and in 1997 was joined by ex-Benetton engineers Rory Byrne and Ross Brawn. It proved to be an astonishingly successful partnership. Between 1997 and 2006, when Schumacher retired, they dominated the sport. From 149 races Schumacher won 63, took 51 poles, 43 fastest laps and 98 podiums. Schumacher won 5 five successive Drivers Titles between 2000 and 2004 and the team took the Constructors Title from 1999 to 2004.

During his time at Ferrari he was partnered by Eddie Irvine, '96 to '99, Rubens Barrichello, 2000 to 2005, and Felipe Massa for his final season. The period wasn't without controversy as Schumacher had a clause in his contract classifying him as Number 1 driver and on a number of occasions his team mates were required by the team to move aside and let Schumacher gain a higher place resulting in a change to the regulations by the FIA outlawing team orders.

Schumacher retired at the end of 2006 having placed 3rd and 2nd in the Driver title race to Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006.

From 2006

Kimi Raikkonen took on the task of filling Schumacher's place in the team for 2007 and duly won the Drivers Title and Ferrari the Constructors. 2008 saw Felipe Massa lose out on the title to Lewis Hamilton as Hamilton took the 5th place he needed two corners from the end of the last race of the season. Ferrrai had the consolation of the Constructors Championship.

Raikkonen and Massa raced together in 2009 and Raikkonen took a single win at the Belgian Grand Prix. Massa was injured in a freak accident at the Hungarian race and his place was taken by Luca Badoer and Giancarlo Fischella. The replacement drivers showed the short comings of the Ferrari 056 chassis and were some distance behind Raikkonen in the races they competed in.

Double World Champion Fernando Alonso took Raikkonen's place for 2010 and, like Mansell in 1989, won a place in the hearts of Ferrari supporters by winning his first race. With 5 wins through the season, including Ferrari’s home race in Italy, he was challenging for the title through to the final round but could only manage 7th in Abu Dhabi losing out on the title to Sebastien Vettel by 4 points.

2011 sees Ferrari continue with Alonso and Massa as their drivers and have named their car the F150th Italia to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Italy's foundation as a nation.

 

[RasputinLives]

Rasputin, you surprise me. You didn't actually take me seriously did you. Did you not see the little laughing smiley.

I saw it on that post. its the lack of it on the thousands of others that makes me think you're serious

 

[Kewee]

I saw it on that post. its the lack of it on the thousands of others that makes me think you're serious

Of course I was joking but for what it's worth I think Alonso will be very much in the running for the title as the season progresses. I know China was an anomaly, but a still to be developed Ferrari beat at least four cars that should have driven away from it. You can never right off Alonso. One other point, the 2009 McLaren wasn't a new car, the Ferrari is, and has an enormous amount of untaped potential. When a team start with an unmeasured base line it just takes a little longer. Both McLaren and Red Bull would have been left kicking themselves after Malaysia. They both had the opportunity to shut Ferrari out and make it that much harder for them to catch up, all they had to do was perform, but they failed to capitalize and missed a golden opportunity. They'll be hoping it doesn't come back to haunt them at the end of the season.

 

[Kewee]

I saw it on that post. its the lack of it on the thousands of others that makes me think you're serious

Blimey!!!! The fact that I referred to the Ferrari looking the same as the others only painted red, as all the technical stuff, should have given you a teensy wheensy hint I was having a bit of fun.

 

[RasputinLives]

Blimey!!!! The fact that I referred to the Ferrari looking the same as the others only painted red, as all the technical stuff, should have given you a teensy wheensy hint I was having a bit of fun.

The Kewee doth protest too much me thinks!

 

[RasputinLives]

oh and the 2009 Mclaren was a brand new car! They all were that year due to the mass regulations change. If anything the Mclaren lot had less data to work with than Ferrari do now.

 

[Kewee]

The Kewee doth protest too much me thinks!

Ok Rasputin. Back to a serious comment. Regarding my confidence in Ferrari's situation, they have just had one three week break to commit to their development, now two back to back GP's if Bahrain goes ahead, followed by another three week break which includes a test session before the Spanish GP. I've always said on this site that the time to judge all the teams and drivers will be after Spain, thats a lot more than three weeks to move forward with their development. As I said, I think McLaren and Red Bull will be kicking themselves letting Alonso sneak a win, when Ferrari are at their weakest. Lets face it, not even Alonso was expecting to pick up a maximum in these early races. I'd call Malaysia pretty good damage limitation.

 

[RasputinLives]

Ok Rasputin. Back to a serious comment. Regarding my confidence in Ferrari's situation, they have just had one three week break to commit to their development, now two back to back GP's if Bahrain goes ahead, followed by another three week break which includes a test session before the Spanish GP. I've always said on this site that the time to judge all the teams and drivers will be after Spain, thats a lot more than three weeks to move forward with their development. As I said, I think McLaren and Red Bull will be kicking themselves letting Alonso sneak a win, when Ferrari are at their weakest. Lets face it, not even Alonso was expecting to pick up a maximum in these early races. I'd call Malaysia pretty good damage limitation.

so you were serious! You lied to me sir! you've let me down! you've let us all down and more importantly you've let yourself down! Sir Edmund Hillary would be turning in his grave at such behavour by a Kiwi! Split Enz would be singing a mournful tune and Jonahu Lomu would be ashamed of his all black shirt!

Ahem......anyways....whilst I agree that I expect the Ferrari to improve as the season goes on I just don't see this giant leap being anticipated before Spain. The other teams have just as much time to make a move forward as well and will hardly be resting on their laurels. I think Ferrari will be closer but still not on pace with the leaders. Maybe by the end of the season. Now whilst I don't doubt Alonso ability to mix it up with the big boy and course a few shocks - even hang on to the title race with consistancy as he has for last 2 years I'm afraid I don't see that Ferrari being transformed into the class of the field. Maybe the 3rd car in the field. We'll see!

 

[Kewee]

so you were serious! You lied to me sir! you've let me down! you've let us all down and more importantly you've let yourself down! Sir Edmund Hillary would be turning in his grave at such behavour by a Kiwi! Split Enz would be singing a mournful tune and Jonahu Lomu would be ashamed of his all black shirt!

Ahem......anyways....whilst I agree that I expect the Ferrari to improve as the season goes on I just don't see this giant leap being anticipated before Spain. The other teams have just as much time to make a move forward as well and will hardly be resting on their laurels. I think Ferrari will be closer but still not on pace with the leaders. Maybe by the end of the season. Now whilst I don't doubt Alonso ability to mix it up with the big boy and course a few shocks - even hang on to the title race with consistancy as he has for last 2 years I'm afraid I don't see that Ferrari being transformed into the class of the field. Maybe the 3rd car in the field. We'll see!

Cheers Rasputin. You may have misread me or maybe I wasn't clear. I'm not expecting a giant leap before Spain either. I suggested they will be fighting at the front by Spain, after what will have been six weeks of development and a three day test session. It may be a four day test, I'm not sure.

 

[Kewee]

Something I think many of us forget, a decade or so ago the front of the grid was often spread by seconds, not tenths. I know it's hard to find but Ferrari only need about 3 tenths to be fighting for the front row. Three or four tenths doesn't make the Ferrari a dog of a car as some have described it, nor does it require to be transformed, just some upgrades and a little further development could make up the tenths it's lacking. If you just blinked, that's about all they're needing to gain.

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

Bear in mind McLaren, probably the best developers on the grid, and Red Bull, with Newey, will also have developed their cars by Spain (and beyond). I simply can't see Ferrari, with their design team (who, let's not forget, are the reason the current car is where it is) will suddenly become aware of what all their issues are and make what would be a pretty huge leap forward. Of course, where the current car is depends on your opinion of whether Alonso is dragging it kicking and screaming brilliantly to get his results or if Massa's performances are more of an indication of true pace. My guess is somewhere between the two, which would mean they have an awful lot of work to do to overhaul McLaren, Red Bull and Lotus.

 

[Kewee]

Yes the other teams will be developing also but your still assuming Ferrari need to make a huge leap forward, they don't, they only need a few tenths. I can't agree with your comments regarding McLaren either. You can only judge their cars by the results they achieve and their last constructors championship was way back in 1998. Thats 13 years without the silverware. We all know Adrian Newey is brilliant but at present at least, working within a tighter rule structure and without the blown diffuser Red Bull are only just in front of Ferrari.

 

[RasputinLives]

Something I think many of us forget, a decade or so ago the front of the grid was often spread by seconds, not tenths. I know it's hard to find but Ferrari only need about 3 tenths to be fighting for the front row. Three or four tenths doesn't make the Ferrari a dog of a car as some have described it, nor does it require to be transformed, just some upgrades and a little further development could make up the tenths it's lacking. If you just blinked, that's about all they're needing to gain.

I know what your saying but I don't see your optimism. In 2010 Ferrari started on level pace with Red Bull at the front and by the time they reached the end of the season they were 3rd in line for the teams. Last season they started out about on level terms with Mclaren as 2nd team and by end of the year they were 3rd in line. Ferrari don't have a history of improving its car over a season - even where the Schmui era was concerned they were rarely quicker at the end of a year than at the begining.

Maybe it'll be different this season but you talk like its a certainty they'll improve. As Mr Foot has said Red Bull, Mclaren and even Lotus/Renault have a much better history when it comes to development over a season.

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

Not sure how you come to the conlusion that Ferrari only need to find a few tenths? Didn't make Q3 in the first race and Alonso was being harried by Crashdonaldo in the Williams come the end of the race, and Alonso was over a second off Hamilton in Q3 in Malaysia. That suggests to me that they need a hell of a lot more than a few tenths. Even if you were to say their race pace was better, how likely is it that it's going to be 1 second better than their Quali pace? That's a hell of a jump to make if they are.
Look at McLaren '09s development (2-3secs off the pace to race-winning), and last year's development (from pre-season to virtually being level on race pace with Red Bull 2nd half of season), not an awful lot there to disagree with. So even if McLaren and Red Bull (and possibly Lotus) can find even a few tenths, it stands to reason that Ferrari need to find closer to a second than a few tenths to get competative.

 

[Kewee]

Not sure how you come to the conlusion that Ferrari only need to find a few tenths? Didn't make Q3 in the first race and Alonso was being harried by Crashdonaldo in the Williams come the end of the race, and Alonso was over a second off Hamilton in Q3 in Malaysia. That suggests to me that they need a hell of a lot more than a few tenths. Even if you were to say their race pace was better, how likely is it that it's going to be 1 second better than their Quali pace? That's a hell of a jump to make if they are.
Look at McLaren '09s development (2-3secs off the pace to race-winning), and last year's development (from pre-season to virtually being level on race pace with Red Bull 2nd half of season), not an awful lot there to disagree with. So even if McLaren and Red Bull (and possibly Lotus) can find even a few tenths, it stands to reason that Ferrari need to find closer to a second thana few tenths.

Alonso had a KER's failure in Malaysia. The estimate had KER's been working would have put them about 3 tenths off pole. Alonso dumped it in the gravel in Australia so didn't take part in Q3.

 

[Kewee]

I know what your saying but I don't see your optimism. In 2010 Ferrari started on level pace with Red Bull at the front and by the time they reached the end of the season they were 3rd in line for the teams. Last season they started out about on level terms with Mclaren as 2nd team and by end of the year they were 3rd in line. Ferrari don't have a history of improving its car over a season - even where the Schmui era was concerned they were rarely quicker at the end of a year than at the begining.

Maybe it'll be different this season but you talk like its a certainty they'll improve. As Mr Foot has said Red Bull, Mclaren and even Lotus/Renault have a much better history when it comes to development over a season.

The development pattern will be quite different this season according to most of the leading designers including Adrian Newey. They all seem to agree that due to the tighter regulations it will be much harder to find a eureka moment and make a major gain. Some have also said because the development rate will be slower, Ferrari, being just a little behind are far more likely to develop at a faster rate and get themselves in the fight sooner rather than later. Of course we're all guessing but that's half the fun isn't it.

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

KERS doesn't give 1 sec per lap, more like 0.5secs which would have still left him 7 tenths off pole. Anyway, judging by Alonso's comments post-race and Ferrari having their management fly back to Marinello rather than straight to the next race suggests even they think their problems are bigger than you seem to. You've said it'll be harder to find a major gain this season but seem to then say that Ferrari will find it easier than others to find gains? I don't see it personally, especially from a team that took 4 years to understand why they couldn't get heat into their tyres. While I admire your optimism, it does seem a little misplaced, and while i'm hardly gutted that Ferrari are struggling, I do happen to think that Alonso deserves better than he's getting from Ferrari at the moment. If I were him i'd be knocking on Luca's door asking questions. And sending De la Rosa a few emails

 

[Kewee]

KERS doesn't give 1 sec per lap, more like 0.5secs which would have still left him 7 tenths off pole. Anyway, judging by Alonso's comments post-race and Ferrari having their management fly back to Marinello rather than straight to the next race suggests even they think their problems are bigger than you seem to. You've said it'll be harder to find a major gain this season but seem to then say that Ferrari will find it easier than others to find gains? I don't see it personally, especially from a team that took 4 years to understand why they couldn't get heat into their tyres. While I admire your optimism, it does seem a little misplaced, and while i'm hardly gutted that Ferrari are struggling, I do happen to think that Alonso deserves better than he's getting from Ferrari at the moment. If I were him i'd be knocking on Luca's door asking questions. And sending De la Rosa a few emails

I didn't say anything. The time loss due to KER's failure came from Ferrari and was backed up by another team principle. The other thing I didn't say was that it would be harder to make gains this season, Adrian Newey said that, I was just quoting him.
The leading cars on the grid have already got their cars working well and will therefore make smaller gains than Ferrari who clearly have greater room for improvement. The same could be said for Mercedes, Sauber and Williams. This has always applied. If your coming from behind and have the knowledge and skill it's easier to catch up than defend simply because the defending team is nearer their development peak than the teams doing the chasing.

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

The leading cars on the grid have already got their cars working well and will therefore make smaller gains than Ferrari who clearly have greater room for improvement. The same could be said for Mercedes, Sauber and Williams. This has always applied. If your coming from behind and have the knowledge and skill it's easier to catch up than defend simply because the defending team is nearer their development peak than the teams doing the chasing.

Completely agree that McLaren and Red Bull will still develop, and find gains, based on their ability over the past few seasons and that Ferrari have greater room for improvement. It's Ferrari's ability to catch up that i'm not agreeing with, again based purely on their development skills of the past few years, certainly when compared with McLaren and Red Bull. This leaves Ferrari essentially needing to find 2 or 3 times the gains in order to get and stay level and I can't see it. There's a difference between knowing you have to catch up, and knowing what you have to do to catch up. Given that the task of catching up is down to the same team who designed the car in the first place, you can see (hopefully now) why i'm not optimistic.

 

[Il_leone]

Completely agree that McLaren and Red Bull will still develop, and find gains, based on their ability over the past few seasons and that Ferrari have greater room for improvement. It's Ferrari's ability to catch up that i'm not agreeing with, again based purely on their development skills of the past few years, certainly when compared with McLaren and Red Bull. This leaves Ferrari essentially needing to find 2 or 3 times the gains in order to get and stay level and I can't see it. There's a difference between knowing you have to catch up, and knowing what you have to do to catch up. Given that the task of catching up is down to the same team who designed the car in the first place, you can see (hopefully now) why i'm not optimistic.

Ferrari did catch up in 2009 but only really got back on the pace once Massa had his accident and Raikkonen became the main focus

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

Ferrari did catch up in 2009 but only really got back on the pace once Massa had his accident and Raikkonen became the main focus

Not quite as much as McLaren and Red Bull did (which is who they have to catch this year) which is my point!.