GreenBkk Formula 1 | Domenicali: 2011 to be very competitive

Domenicali: 2011 to be very competitive

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali believes that McLaren and Mercedes GP will join Red Bull and Ferrari in a four way hunt for the 2011 title.

The past season saw one of the tightest contests in recent history, with the Constructors' title decided at the penultimate race and with four drivers still the running for the World Championship head into the season finale.

In the end Red Bull claimed both crowns, but they were closely challenged at times by both Ferrari and McLaren. However, Domenicali believes that this year there will be four teams fighting for glory.

"2010 was a fierce season and 2011 will be even more so," Domenicali told La Repubblica.

"Because besides Red Bull, which has won and will therefore start as favourite, McLaren will be back strong as it's always been up front and [Lewis] Hamilton is an exceptional driver. I also expect Mercedes to be up there: it has invested too much to afford another season like the last one."

The Italian pinpointed two areas that will be key for succeeding in the highly competitive environment: strategy and having a solid team unit.

"On the track we'll have to get used to a bit of a revolution: who starts on pole won't automatically have a straightforward path to victory anymore. Strategies will be important," he explained.

"But more generally it will be important to work on the group. The real problem in today's F1 is that there aren't landmark technical people anymore. There's only a single one-man-show remaining: Adrian Newey.

"As for the rest, at every level, there are teams with excellent number twos and number threes coordinated by excellent people. So I think the real challenge is to form people and groups: only this way you can win; only this way a new era will begin," Domenicali added.

On the strategic side, Ferrari have already made changes for the upcoming season, signing Red Bull chief strategist Neil Martin and adding the role of head of race track engineering to Pat Fry's portfolio.

Credit: PlanetF1.com (www.planetf1.com)