Silverstone, final day of testing and Ferrari’s Felipe Massa clocked the quickest time of 1:20.805. It was the fastest overall time in the three days of testing in Great Britain. The effects of a new aerodynamic set-up seem to be paying off.
Is this the beginning of a scarlet resurgence? Any racing fan would certainly hope so. More teams involved in the championship battle entails more action and more drama. More intensity on the track makes the races more interesting.
At the moment, the battle is currently being fought within the McLaren team with both of their drivers battling it out for supremacy. Fernando Alonso is trying to be the youngest ever triple world champion. Lewis Hamilton on the other hand is trying to be the youngest ever world champion and the first driver since Nino Farina back in 1950 to win the title in his debut season. Both drivers have history within their reach. Which one will write history is anybody’s guess.
If Ferrari gets back in the picture and gets both their drivers within the title hunt however, a four-way battle to the top becomes even more exciting. The Ferrari drivers are also attempting to write history of their own. If Massa won the title, he would be alongside the likes of Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna to be the only Brazilians to win the F1 title. Kimi Raikkonen is also trying to enter the ranks of a select group of flying Finns to have won the F1 crown: Keke Rosberg and Mika Hakkinen.
But it is also not just the drivers’ conquest that is interesting to watch. A McLaren-Ferrari head-to-head spells out ‘classic’. Since 1982, Ferrari has won eight constructor’s championships while McLaren won seven. Obviously, there is much to play for in establishing which team is the modern day undisputed king.
There is no doubt that it would be really good for Formula 1 if Ferrari gets back in the championship scene. If they do make a mid-season comeback, this year could turn out to be the most exciting season in recent memory all because of the top four drivers capable of winning a championship. The most drivers gunning for a title in recent history was back in 2003 comprised of a Schumacher-Montoya-Raikkonen toss-up. The past seasons showcased usually a two-way battle. Alonso-Schumacher last 2006, Alonso-Raikkonen for 2005. Seasons 2001, 2002 and 2004 were a one man show by Michael Schumacher. A four-way battle will certainly bring something new to the table. It wasn’t since the 80’s when so many championship caliber drivers were racing at the same time with the likes of Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet.
2007 therefore has the potential to be a classic season but only if Ferrari gets back into form. Sadly, they have to get back in the next race or risk being caught up in a case of “too little, too late”. The fastest lap in testing is a good sign that a probable resurgence is the case. But then again testing is one thing, winning races is another. Second day of testing saw Jarno Trulli’s Toyota on top of the timesheets and no one is speculating of a Toyota upset. Hopefully, Ferrari can truly deliver. Only time will tell if this season becomes one to remember.
