Domenicali: A quicker car is our priority; nothing else counts

The return leg of the Formula 1 World Championship is about to get underway and, as the time comes to head for Spa, Stefano Domenicali called together all the men and women who work for the Scuderia, in the logistics pavillion to give an added boost of motivation to a group that is in any case set on pursuing success.

“There is still everything to play for and we have gone through this before, as recently as last year,” said Domenicali. “Nine races means that a total of 225 driver points are available and rest assured that the goals we set ourselves at the start of the season are still perfectly attainable. It’s true we’ve gone through a difficult period, especially in July and now is the time to react in the way that Ferrari people know well.

“Our task is very simple: namely to give Fernando and Felipe the quickest car possible. Now, their contribution will be even more essential than ever,” he continued. “We have spelt it out many times before: the driver topic is definitely not a priority. What counts is to give them the best possible chance of finishing ahead of everyone and, in order to succeed, each and every one of us must do our job to the best of our ability on all levels. If they have a winning car in their hands, then I am convinced they will know how to win with it. If we all believe, then we can do it!”

Domenicali spent considerable time talking about the right mental approach. “I don’t want to see any of you not believing in our fightback: each one of you must be the link in a chain of positivity that must drive the team along in what is a key moment in the season. We are Ferrari and history teaches us that we must never accept we are beaten. There is much talk outside the company regarding the future, but we must concentrate only on the present, on the fight for the championship. The words of our President before the summer break must serve as a stimulus, because they were meant as the words of a good family father, who, first and foremost really roots for our team: keep those words in mind and let’s all pull together, starting in Spa.”

The first group of team members has already arrived in Belgium, while the trucks with the F138s available for the eleventh round of the 2013 Championship will leave Maranello this evening. The final charter flight of the European season, with the rest of the eighty or so personnel that will attend the race, will leave from Bologna airport tomorrow afternoon.