Felipe Massa

Ferrari has removed the controversial ‘barcode’ design from the side of its car from this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix following controversy about it being subliminal advertising for title sponsor Marlboro.

A report in The Times newspaper last week revealed that leading doctors were putting pressure on governments to investigate whether the red, white and black bar code that had featured on the Ferrari cars for several years was a clever way of promoting its title sponsor’s cigarette brand.

Ferrari reacted angrily to the claims – suggesting that the barcode design was not copyrighted by Marlboro owner Phillip Morris and that it had chosen the concept alone. The bar code also featured on the Ducati MotoGP bikes too, though.

Earlier this week, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo labelled any Read the rest of this entry »

Ferrari has been given the green light by the FIA to make modifications to its engine on reliability grounds following the problems it has had in the early stages of the season.

Both Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa have suffered engine issues in the opening flyaway events – with Alonso suffering two blow-ups that has left him in particular on the back foot in terms of his supply for the season.

With customer team Sauber having also encountered its share of engine issues, Ferrari conducted a detailed investigation into the matter after the Chinese Grand Prix.

And after finding out that there was an intrinsic problem with Read the rest of this entry »

Formula 1′s likely switch to smaller turbocharged engines from 2013 must include the introduction of cutting-edge fuel efficiency technology too, claims Ferrari’s CEO Amedeo Felisa.

With teams closing in on plans to use 670bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged engines from 2013, Felisa believes the sport should be even bolder in embracing the latest knowledge – and pursue the more economical Gasoline Direct Injection concept.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT’s sister publication Autocar at the Beijing Motor Show on Friday, Felisa says that F1 could improve its relevance to the road car industry by adopting such engines.

“If F1 has to develop something helpful for real driving conditions, then Read the rest of this entry »

Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso insist their relationship is as good as always despite the Chinese Grand Prix incident.

“As it happens quite often, there’s always someone who wants to create some confusion,” Massa said on Ferrari’s website on Tuesday.

“The situation between me and Fernando is the one it always has been and an overtaking manoeuvre won’t change it for sure.

“I already explained after the race what happened and Read the rest of this entry »

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo says there is no dispute between his drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.

Rumours of tension between the duo emerged after Alonso passed Massa going into the pits during the Chinese Grand Prix.

The Brazilian was forced onto the grass at the pit entry in order to avoid contact, and then had to wait behind Alonso to get his pitstop.

Di Montezemolo has now joined his drivers in downplaying the incident.

“There is no Read the rest of this entry »

Ferrari must focus more of its effort onto improving its qualifying form if it is to stand a good chance of winning the world championship this year.

That is the view of team principal Stefano Domenicali, who believes that the edge that Red Bull Racing has enjoyed in qualifying this season must be closed down.

“One thing that we need to work towards perhaps in a little bit of a different way is to prepare qualifying,” said Domenicali.

“We know that qualifying is really important and we saw that our Read the rest of this entry »