Ferrari chief Jean Todt celebrated victory in Sunday's British
Grand Prix with Kimi Raikkonen but said his team must get on top of
their reliability problems.
Hopes of another Ferrari one-two after last weekend's win in
France were dashed even before the start when Felipe Massa's car
stalled on the grid - relegating the Brazilian to a distant start
from the pit lane.
It was the third mishap to hit the team after a gearbox problem
in Australia left Massa back in 16th on the grid, while Raikkonen
was forced out in Spain by alternator trouble.
Todt, who absolved Massa of any blame, told reporters: "We're
really pleased for Kimi's result and sorry that Felipe's car had a
technical problem that prevented him from being up at the
front.
"This year we have cars that are generally competitive, given
that we've won five grands prix out of nine...but in terms of
reliability we are behind and this is reflected in the overall
standings.
McClaren rival Lewis Hamilton leads those standings on 70 points
after finishing third on Sunday, followed by teammate Fernando
Alonso on 58, Raikkonen with 52 and Massa on 51.
"I always say, we have got two great drivers but we have to give
them a good car," the Frenchman said.
"Sometimes we don't give them a good car, sometimes, like today,
we didn't give them a reliable enough car and we pay the
consequences."
Despite Massa's setback, the Brazilian fought his way up through
the field to finish a creditable fifth.
"All things considered, I am happy with what I achieved today,"
said Massa, a back-to-back winner in Bahrain and Spain.
"Sometimes everything goes your way and other times, unexpected
things shatter all your plans and you have to try and make the best
of the situation.
"I am disappointed to have lost points in the classsification,
but that's life."
Ferrari have another two weeks to work on the problem, before
the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring in Germany.
Wake-up call
Sunday's successful British Grand Prix should serve as a wake-up
call for Silverstone's owners, according to Formula One supremo
Bernie Ecclestone. The Briton said he was delighted with the
capacity 85,000 crowd and renewed interest in Britain thanks to
McLaren's championship leader Lewis Hamilton, but the race's future
beyond 2009 remained uncertain.
"It hasn't changed anything has it?," he told reporters at the
suggestion that Hamilton, who finished third on Sunday for his
ninth podium in a row, had made the race more secure.
"Maybe they will be able to wake up and think they can make
things work and do something."
Ecclestone said the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) needed
to get moving on plans to revamp the pit and paddock complex.
While BRDC president Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion, said
he hoped to get planning permission approved by the end of the
year, Ecclestone suggested that would be too late.
"We have a contract that's been in place for five years, they've
known for five years exactly what has to happen," he said. "By mid
2008 we've got to have the new buildings and everything put in
place."
"I hope they've had a wake-up call and I hope they do
something."
Silverstone hosted the first championship grand prix in 1950 but
is at risk with new races in Valencia, Singapore and Abu Dhabi due
to be added to an already crowded calendar.
(China Daily via Agencies?July 10, 2007)