Ferrari’s title tilt could hinge on the competitiveness of the updated F2012 this weekend in Barcelona.

“What I want is to have a competitive car in Barcelona,” insisted the famous Italian marque’s president Luca di Montezemolo on Tuesday.

“That’s what I’ve asked for,” he is quoted as saying by Brazil’s O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper.

Ferrari had congregated at its Fiorano test track, to watch Jacques Villeneuve drive the 1979 single seater to mark the 30th anniversary of his father Gilles’ fatal crash.

But Montezemolo’s disappointment is with the latest Ferrari, which has been heavily updated since the Bahrain grand prix three weeks ago.

“Our technicians are confident, but we will have to see how our opponents have advanced too,” he added.

O Estado de S.Paulo correspondent Livio Oricchio claimed “Montezemolo knows” that anything other than a big step forward in Barcelona will mean Ferrari has to “start thinking about” its 2013 project instead.

“Now we have to make a quantum leap, to have a car that is more competitive, less difficult to drive, and gives confidence to the fans,” Montezemolo is quoted by La Stampa newspaper.

“Let’s see how it goes in Spain,” he told Rai television.

“I have asked for an extraordinary response from our engineers,” Montezemolo is also quoted as saying by Italy’s Sky Sport 24.

La Gazzetta dello Sport, meanwhile, quoted lead driver Fernando Alonso as saying: “Our goal is to be world champions in November, and if we are to succeed then we must do better than we have done so far.”

Team boss Stefano Domenicali agreed: “We expect a significant evolution that will bring us closer to the step we need.

“The Spanish grand prix is definitely open, as is the championship. I say this because we believe.”

 Robert Kubica is back on track yet again, according to the latest reports from Italy.
It emerged a few days ago that the Pole had moved his recovery from serious injury forwards by returning to the wheel of a Skoda Fabia rally car in Liguria, Italy.

La Gazzetta dello Sport now reports that the former BMW and Renault driver has tested a kart at a circuit in Montecatini-Terme, Tuscany.

Former Renault boss Flavio Briatore advises Kubica not to rush his return to F1.

“I have seen him a few times and have told him not to hurry back. You cannot lose your talent, but first you should focus on your health. 100 per cent,” he told Italy’s Sky Sport 24.

Briatore recalled former Benetton driver Alessandro Nannini, who badly injured his arm in a helicopter crash in 1990.

“He hurried back and we all know how that ended,” said Briatore.

“I think Kubica will succeed, but he needs to plan to come back in two years. You can’t be in F1 if you’re not 100 per cent.”

 Flavio Briatore has hit out at formula one by suggesting “any top driver” would have won last year’s title with the 2011 Red Bull.
“It’s only a real show now when it rains,” the former Renault team boss told Italy’s Sky Sport 24.

Briatore, 61, blames the huge role played by technology.

“If you were to take GP2 cars and put the 6 world champions in them, it would be more fun,” he insisted.

“The car is now made in the wind tunnel, the engineers aren’t even at the circuits and they spend 200 million euros making identical machines.

“Last year, the championship was over after the first race, and this will be the same; McLaren are two tenths from Red Bull, Mercedes three, and Ferrari and Lotus 4 to 7.

“Two tenths is like 2-0 behind in a football game. In F1, the Messi is Alonso, but if his car is not competitive, he is going nowhere.”

Mark Webber’s manager has refused to back the Australian’s stance against Red Bull’s imposition of team orders at Silverstone last weekend.
Britain’s Sun newspaper says Australian Webber, 34, “put his job at risk” by openly ignoring boss Christian Horner’s instruction to end his challenge on teammate Sebastian Vettel towards the end of the British grand prix.

“I wasn’t happy with that (order) because you should never give up in F1,” Webber said on Monday.

Although the winner of six grands prix effectively handles his own career with his partner Ann, former Renault boss Flavio Briatore is still involved as a manager.

He told Italy’s Sky Sport 24 that he thinks Red Bull was justified in asking Webber to hold station.

“Welcome to F1,” Briatore is quoted as saying. “I would have done the same.

“If you’re playing for a world championship, you have to take decisions and drivers need to understand that it’s not your car and it’s a team of hundreds of people. They (drivers) need to respect that,” he added.

Briatore’s other charge, Fernando Alonso, won the British grand prix but the flamboyant Italian does not believe Ferrari can chase down Vettel.

“He (Alonso) might be second or third in the end, but he has no chance of winning because the championship is over already.”

Only a “disaster” will prevent Fernando Alonso from winning his third drivers’ title in 2010.

That is the claim of his manager Flavio Briatore, who said the championship challenge is now a straight fight between two drivers in his stable: Spaniard Alonso and Red Bull’s Mark Webber.

“Alonso will lose the world championship only with a disaster,” the Italian told Sky Sport 24.

“For Vettel it’s impossible, Hamilton the same. The only two who can win are Alonso and Webber,” said Briatore.

“And for Alonso I see the chances at 80 per cent, except if Red Bull changes their strategy.

“For Alonso he has always driven the same way, only the Ferrari has become better and more reliable,” he said.

Briatore is highly critical of Red Bull’s refusal to get Sebastian Vettel to fall in line behind Webber, surmising that the Austrian team “have the best car but it seems like they’re trying to lose the championship.

“And they’re getting there,” he added.

Rumours linking Flavio Briatore with Ferrari have shifted into a higher gear.

In July, it emerged that the disgraced, ousted and banned former Renault boss had visited the famous Italian team’s Maranello headquarters.

The visit unleashed a flood of rumours, including talk of a possible consultancy role with Ferrari.

Now, according to the major German daily Die Welt, 60-year-old Italian Briatore has visited Ferrari no fewer than two more times in recent weeks.

Additionally, Briatore was in the Monza paddock last weekend, as was Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, and Fiat chiefs John Elkann and Sergio Marchionne.

Briatore was also seen inside the Ferrari pits.

Welt reports that the charismatic Italian is endeavouring to have his FIA ban reduced so that he can return to a direct operational role in F1 before 2013.

If successful, he could replace Stefano Domenicali as Ferrari’s team boss, the newspaper said.

Briatore was asked about his Monza visit by German television Sky.

“I am meeting with Bernie (Ecclestone) and then flying back to London,” he answered at the Italian circuit before the race.

“It’s fantastic to be back, to see friends and to be in Italy,” added Briatore. “Ferrari are on pole and everyone is happy. Just wonderful.”

Briatore, who is Fernando Alonso’s manager and former team boss at Renault, played down suggestions he is itching to return to F1.

“I’m feeling very good and I’m happy with the way things are,” said Briatore.

To Italy’s Sky Sport 24, he indicated that a return to formula one in a commercial role is more likely.

“We will see what happens in the future,” said Briatore. “Next week I will not be in Singapore; I am also perfectly happy at home.”

Flavio Briatore does not think Ferrari will be heavily punished by the FIA for the Hockenheim team orders affair.

The governing body is set to consider the matter no later than September 10 at its scheduled World Motor Sport Council meeting in Como, Italy.

Ferrari breached article 39.1 of the sporting regulations by ordering that Felipe Massa give way to German grand prix winner Fernando Alonso, and was also charged by the race stewards with bringing the sport into disrepute.

Former Renault boss Briatore was banned from F1 last year by the World Motor Sport Council for the Singapore crash scandal.

He told Italy’s Sky Sport 24: “This (team order) rule makes no sense and should be abolished.  Formula one is a team sport.

“I don’t believe Ferrari did anything wrong,” added the 60-year-old Italian.

“Fernando has more points than Massa and it is logical to bet on the driver with the best chance of winning the title.

“Could it have been better handled?  It’s easy to say so with hindsight, but during a race it’s different.

“It is however clear that Massa’s engineer (Rob Smedley) should not have made certain comments.  But only one guy can win the drivers’ championship.

“It is pointless to stand around being critical.  It is the rule that is completely absurd,” added Briatore.

He does not think Ferrari needs to worry about draconian penalties like exclusion from the world championship or race bans.

“The chairman of the World Council is Jean Todt, who managed Ferrari when in 2002 in Austria he ordered Barrichello to let Schumacher overtake at the chequered flag, so I think we can all relax,” laughed Briatore.