Ferrari boss admits team not being able to keep pace with F1’s ‘relentless development drive’

London - Ferrari head Stefano Domenicali has admitted that his team is not able to keep pace with Formula One’s relentless development drive, and is now aiming at overhauling its cars.

 He identified aerodynamics, as a particular “area of weakness”, and said the team is working flat out on their troublesome 2012 cars.

“We are intensifying the process of changing our working procedures in all areas. And at the same time we are strengthening our efforts in areas where we are weakest, such as aerodynamics,” The Sun quoted Domenicali, as saying.

It was a winter testing programme that revealed a host of problems with Ferrari’s 2012 car. However, lead driver Fernando Alonso had forgo only ten points off the top of the standings after he won the race in Malaysia.

“Clearly we cannot be happy with the way our season began but we knew the first four races would be very tough. We managed to limit the damage but it is clear we must now step up a gear, right from the next race. Our engineers are well aware of this and are working day and night to give our drivers a much more competitive car,” the Ferrari chief explained.

Domenicali revealed that Ferrari will have major upgrades on the F2012 cars at next week’s F1 test at Mugello and the Spanish Grand Prix on May 13, before which ‘the primary objective will be to push as hard as possible on the development of the car.’