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Formula One
F1: 2009 Season Review - Ferrari
A look back at the 2009 Formula One season for Ferrari...
SPEED Staff  |  Posted November 23, 2009   Charlotte, NC
Click Here for a look back at the 2009 Ferrari Grand Prix season. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
Ferrari: Formula One Grand Prix Team

Team Principal: Stefano Domenicali

Drivers: Felipe Massa (9 rounds) Kimi Raikkonen, Luca Badoer (two rounds), Giancarlo Fisichella (five rounds)

Constructors Finish: 4th (70 points)

Best Finish: 1st Raikkonen, Spa

Poles: 0

Chassis: F60 (B) Engine: Ferrari Type 056

http://www.ferrari.com/

Ferrari had a year that was disappointing and chaotic both on and off the track. Coming off a 2008 season where they won the constructors title and Felipe Massa missed winning the drivers crown by only one point while scoring a career best nine wins, the legendary team was widely believed to be a definite contender in 2009.

The Italian team got off to their worst start to a season for 27 years however, with neither Massa or Raikkonen scoring a single point until Bahrain when Raikkonen finished sixth.

Off the track, longtime executive Jean Todt left the team in March. Then led by Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo the team began fighting the FIA in French courts over the introduction of new rules for the 2010 season, even threatening to quit the sport over a proposed budget cap. In June the two sides would come to an agreement and Ferrari would claim victory when the FIA decided to gradually phase in budget caps over the next few years.

On the track Massa scored his first points of the season in Spain, but the continued poor performance had some wondering if the team was giving up on 2009 and looking towards 2010.

Team principal Stefano Domenicali denied that they were giving up and the team introduced the ‘B’ version of the F60 in Spain. The drivers responded with Raikkonen finishing third and Massa fourth in the following outing in Monaco.

Any hopes the team had of contending for a title though came to an abrupt and horrible end in Hungary.

During qualifying on Saturday, while Massa was following the Brawn machine of Rubens Barrichello, a suspension failure caused a spring to come free from a rear damper. The spring bounced down the track and up into the helmet of Massa fracturing his skull. Massa was unconscious as the car hit the tire wall and he was airlifted to a hospital. For several days his condition was serious, although he would go on to make an amazing recovery and all indications are he will be back in 2010.

The loss of Massa however left an open seat and soon the biggest sports story of the summer emerged when it was announced that Michael Schumacher would make a return to Formula One. Only days after it was announced though, it was learned that Schumacher had not recovered from a neck injury he sustained while racing a motorcycle and would not be able to return.

The team turned to test driver Luca Badoer who struggled for two races, finishing last in both. Ferrari then hired Giancarlo Fisichella from Force India to take Massa’s place until the end of the season. Fisichella’s performance was only moderately better the Badoer however.

Raikkonen provided the only real highlight of the year as he won at Spa, but the team struggled the rest of the year as the team finally decided to give up further development on the F60 and instead decided to focus their efforts on 2010.

As Massa returns next season, Fernando Alonso will join him as Raikkonen searches to find at ride. The Finn has been linked to several Formula One teams, but has also said he may take a year off. Fisichella is slated to become the teams test driver although there has been talk he will return to Force India with the blessing of the bosses in Maranello.
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