Jenson Button has tipped Ferrari to recover, after the famous Italian team announced it does not initially expect to be a podium contender in 2012.
Paddock insiders are tipping a close three-way battle between Red Bull, McLaren and possibly Mercedes early this season, as Ferrari apparently flounders with its complex F2012.

But McLaren’s Button said: “I’m sure Ferrari can find their way out of a sticky situation — if they’re in a sticky situation.

“We’re all trying new things at the start of the year. One of us will get it right and I’m sure the others will follow suit in the end,” he told the Guardian.

“They’re obviously on the back foot but I’m sure they’ll catch up.”

Despite an almost unprecedented media muzzle, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso broke his enforced silence last weekend to admit by way of analogy that his 2012 car is not in top Barcelona football players’ Messi and Iniesta’s league at present.

But the Spaniard also pointed out that while the press is making a fuss about Ferrari’s troubles, the immense pressure on Ferrari is unique.

“For example yesterday (Sunday at Barcelona) Red Bull had only a few laps and the last time on the sheet,” Alonso reportedly told Ferrari staff at Maranello.

“If something similar had happened to us, hell would have broken loose, but here (in Italy) nobody really noticed it.”

Alonso does not think he will be pushing for the Melbourne win next weekend, but he also insisted: “What counts is not to be first in the first race, but in November, at the end of the championship.”

Stefano Domenicali on Wednesday refused to say whether Ferrari is committed to retaining Felipe Massa beyond 2011.
The Brazilian driver had a bad season in 2010, the year after his near-fatal accident, and team boss Domenicali suggested that he needs to improve.

During a press conference at the ‘Wrooom’ event in the Dolomites, the Italian did not directly answer three questions about Massa’s tenure beyond 2011.

“It would be wrong to say anything at the beginning of the season,” said Domenicali, admitting however that Massa will need to show comparably alongside his teammate Fernando Alonso.

“I hope it will be close between them; that he (Massa) will be as good, or maybe even faster than Fernando. But for sure we need two strong drivers to win the constructors’ title,” he added.

Domenicali’s comments were reported internationally, with La Gazzetta dello Sport quoting him as saying he “expects” Massa to be “always close” to Alonso this year.

Blick in Switzerland quoted Domenicali as saying 2011 “is an important season” for the 29-year-old, and according to Sao Paulo’s O Estado Domenicali said Massa has had talks with Ferrari management “as have other team members”.

“We must all learn from the mistakes of the past year and put it behind,” he added.

“I trust that, as in other situations in which he was under immense pressure and reacted very well, he will do the same now,” said Domenicali.

Red Bull’s F1 chiefs on Sunday backed Sebastian Vettel after the young German’s crash with teammate Mark Webber in the Turkish grand prix.

Australian Webber said the sister RB6 turned into him during the overtaking manoeuvre, but team advisor Helmut Marko pointed a clear finger of blame at the 33-year-old and his race engineer Ciaron Pilbeam.

“Webber was slower and Vettel had immense pressure from Hamilton,” Marko said on German television RTL.

“Unfortunately, Mark was not told about the situation accurately by his race engineer,” he explained.

But Marko was also critical of Webber’s behaviour.

“He had radioed the pits to say he was slower on the straights (than Vettel).  He knew the situation and had just been informed about the pressure Hamilton was putting on (Vettel).

“Vettel was so much faster than he had to pass.  If Webber and he had braked together, then Hamilton would have passed Vettel,” said Marko.

Initially, team boss Christian Horner had indicated he was angry at both drivers, but eventually it was Webber who took the blame.

“It looks as though he didn’t leave Sebastian enough space.  It was very clear he (Vettel) was by his side and in front.  But I still have to speak with both of them,” said the Briton.

(GMM)