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.”

According to Michael Schumacher, “the train has already left” when it comes to fighting for this year’s title.

But the seven time world champion also doubts Mercedes’ next car will be good enough to challenge the leaders.

“It would be presumptuous if one expects us to fight for the title next year. At the moment we are too far behind,” the 42-year-old German said at the weekend during the Mercedes event Stuttgarter Sternstunden.

The German marque’s competition director Norbert Haug made a similar admission.

“Under normal circumstances, you do not go from fourth to first in one jump,” he said.

Mercedes’ board, however, has the patience to wait, according to head of group research Thomas Weber.

“We will give (the team) the time that is necessary to get to the top,” he said.

With just 3 or 4 races to go in 2010, there are no more signs that Red Bull is set to throw its full weight behind championship leader Mark Webber’s title tilt.

The Australian would openly accept number 1 status over Sebastian Vettel, and recently consultant Helmut Marko indicated the team would soon consider the possibility.

But Vettel, who remains 21 points behind Webber, put his campaign back on track with a strong weekend in Singapore, and afterwards announced his intention to push on.

“The drivers championship is still open,” said the 23-year-old German in Singapore.

According to the German newspaper Die Welt, he announced that he and Webber have agreed to a “professional approach” to the next decisive races.

And “We will find out who is better,” Vettel is quoted as saying.

It means that of the three top teams in with a chance of the 2010 title, only Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso can currently count on the backing of his teammate.

“It is almost inevitable with the way the season has swung backwards and forwards that this will go right down to the wire,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner.

Alan Jones, the last Australian to become world champion in 1980, backed his countryman to beat Vettel in a dog-fight.

“I think if it gets down to a bit of a head-game, I’ll back Mark every time,” said the former Williams driver.

“It’s a fascinating championship,” added 63-year-old Jones.  “We haven’t had one like this for years, where five people could become world champion with four races to go.”

Sebastian Vettel was bearing the brunt of the international media’s post-race wrath after the Belgian grand prix.

Italy’s La Repubblica said the Red Bull driver gets involved in incidents “at every race”.

“He could easily have won this world title, but now it is certain that he will not,” said the major Rome-based newspaper.

German Vettel, 23, lost control of his RB6 at Spa-Francorchamps and took out fellow championship contender Jenson Button.

“Vettel is the big loser of this season,” agreed the Milan published Corriere della Sera.

Said triple world champion and commentator Niki Lauda: “We’ll see if this error costs him the world championship.

“There is pressure and you have to deal with it,” added the great Austrian.

But there is support for 2009 runner-up Vettel.

“Check it off and look ahead,” advised seven time world champion Michael Schumacher, according to the SID news agency.

“The worst thing is when so-called experts – and I must include myself – give him all sorts of advice.  He knows what happened and what should have been different.

“All I can say is the year is still long,” added Schumacher.

Former German grand prix driver Christian Danner said: “It’s not that he wants too much — he was just too impatient.”

Swiss counterpart Marc Surer added: “He wanted to overtake and it went wrong.  You can’t blame him; following someone is not his style and I like that.

“Yes, it went bad, but on the other hand, you have to attack.”

And famous German touring car driver Klaus Ludwig said: “The conditions were extremely difficult — you can’t believe how much.  It’s like walking an extremely narrow tightrope.”