F1: Ferrari Focused On Data Collecting

Formula 1

F1: Ferrari Focused On Data Collecting - Massa

Felipe Massa drives the F2012 at Jerez...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted February 08, 2012 Jerez (ESP)

Felipe Massa of Brazil and Ferrari drives during day two of Formula One winter testing at the Circuito de Jerez on February 8, 2012 in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. (Photo: Getty Images)

Felipe Massa says that Ferrari has put an extra focus on data gathering over the first two days of the Jerez test, given that the concept of the F2012 is such a big departure for the team.

At times the car didn’t look comfortable on the track – leading some in the paddock to speculate that the team is already up against it – but the Brazilian insists that the busy test program has compromised any meaningful running.

“Actually it’s a lot of work, it’s a brand new car,” said Massa. “It’s not the car we had in the last years, even to start with, so it’s a car that needs a lot more, you need a lot more things to try as well. Today I did so many laps just trying such different things in the car, constant speed for aerodynamics.

“It was a program to really understand every single point from the car in aerodynamics, in suspension, even in the set-up, on the chassis point of view, even on the tires as well. I think it was so many things to do which was not the case in the past, even on the first day. So it was a day that we were so much concentrating on the little stuff, all the pieces that we need to understand.

“We have so many ideas, by trying out these different directions, different pieces, which was not the case in the past. At least it is important to understand every single thing from the car, and to try to build a complete package.

“In a new car you always have something you don’t see the result you expect, and some other parts you have even a different direction, so a new car is always like that. It’s just the beginning of a big job to have a consistent and competitive car.”

When it was suggested that the car looked difficult to drive, Massa said: “It’s a lot of work. As I said, we tried so many different things with the car, so many runs we go out with not everything in the car to do the lap time, just to collect data. It’s different than in the past, the program is different, and it’s also more complicated for us because we tried so many things just looking for the performance of a piece in the car that we’re trying.”

Adam Cooper notched up his 27th season as a racing journalist in 2011. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.