Ferrari: No team orders at start of the season
The good news for Felipe Massa is that he will start 2011 on equal footing with Fernando Alonso, but the bad news is if he shows frustration from having "less power" then he could be replaced.
That's the warning from Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo ahead of the new season.
Massa, who has already been accused by di Montezemolo of driving like his brother, is coming off a poor season during which he was ordered to let team-mate Alonso pass him to win the German Grand Prix.
The FIA's decision to lift the ban on team orders has left many wondering if Massa will start the new season as the No 2 behind Alonso.
Di Montezemolo, though, has made it clear they won't have team orders at the start of the season, but things might change later in the year.
"If I think one of my drivers is not in the condition to win the Championship, I will change them," he said. "I want two drivers in a condition to win.
"I don't want to have a person that is frustrated from the first race because he knows he has less power. Also, the races are too unpredictable.
"What is important is to have a clear understanding between the two drivers in case and when it might be a necessity.
"For sure in the second half of the season we have to be prepared in a very open way, but in the first part of the season it is in the interest of the team to put both drivers in the best situation."
There has also been speculation that Ferrari will make major changes after Alonso lost out on the Drivers' Championship in the final race of the season, but di Montezemolo says since stability has been key to their change in fortune following their lows before 1993.
"At that time Ferrari was all about polemics between engineers, team managers and drivers," he said. "Now we're consistently competitive. So don't expect major or important changes to the team."
Credit: PlanetF1.com (www.planetf1.com)
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