There is an excellent video of the first shakedown test of the Ferrari F2008 on Axis of Oversteer - it's well worth watching, absolutely fascinating stuff. And not just for the car; there is more footage of Kimi Raikkonen in a working and relaxed environment than I have ever seen before. He is revealed as quite human, composed, cool, calm, but not as withdrawn as we imagine. In fact, were it not that we recognize the face, he could be anyone, the man on the street. Only the air of complete confidence might alert us to there being something different about the guy.
Massa makes a few brief appearances, too. And he seems pleasant enough, although there seemed no interaction between the two drivers. Maybe it's my imagination, but I detected an atmosphere of moody petulance about the Brazilian, even when he was smiling and shaking hands with the crew. Perhaps he was a bit annoyed that it wasn't going to be him driving the car that day.
There were others present, most noticeably Luca di Montezemolo. He is very interesting to watch - the consummate politician, greeting everyone and observing proceedings with a benign and paternal presence. Yet was there a suggestion of more warmth in his greetings for some, rather than others? It's a fascinating pastime, this Ferrari watching.
There were even walk-on parts for some of the stars of yesteryear, Jean Todt embracing Kimi with Gallic kisses and Michael Schumacher wandering in to stand around doing nothing - just part of the team, you know.
The car itself was pretty in the pit and superb on the track. It was a foggy morning at Fiorano that day and there was something inspiring about seeing Kimi screaming down the straight into the greyness, then materializing further away as a vague shadow accelerating and braking through the curves, and always with the music of the V8 to accompany his progress. Atmospheric stuff.
But I am no Ferrari worshipper, as my readers know, and a terrible thought occurred to me as I watched the video. This is true heresy, the kind of thing that invites lawsuits from the FIA, but does the testing limit apply to Fiorano as well? And, if so, how is it policed?
Since Fiorano is Ferrari's own testing facility, it is difficult to see how the FIA could keep an eye on it all the time; what is to prevent Ferrari from using it whenever they want to? Indeed, does that shakedown test count towards the year's total allowance for the team?
While the Fiorano test was happening, McLaren were testing the MP4/23 at Jerez - no luxury of their own test circuit for them and no possibility of hiding a few unofficial runs, therefore. Pardon me for even thinking it, but this must surely be an area where the Italian team have an advantage over the rest.
And that is nothing new - Ferrari have used Fiorano for decades and it has been recognized as a priceless advantage. It is only such strange introductions as the testing limit that bring the private facility into question. If limits are imposed in any area, it is only right that they should apply whether a team has special arrangements or not.
No doubt Alianora will come through with all the facts and regulations, thereby setting my mind at ease on this one. It was just a question that occurred to me, that's all...
Massa makes a few brief appearances, too. And he seems pleasant enough, although there seemed no interaction between the two drivers. Maybe it's my imagination, but I detected an atmosphere of moody petulance about the Brazilian, even when he was smiling and shaking hands with the crew. Perhaps he was a bit annoyed that it wasn't going to be him driving the car that day.
There were others present, most noticeably Luca di Montezemolo. He is very interesting to watch - the consummate politician, greeting everyone and observing proceedings with a benign and paternal presence. Yet was there a suggestion of more warmth in his greetings for some, rather than others? It's a fascinating pastime, this Ferrari watching.
There were even walk-on parts for some of the stars of yesteryear, Jean Todt embracing Kimi with Gallic kisses and Michael Schumacher wandering in to stand around doing nothing - just part of the team, you know.
The car itself was pretty in the pit and superb on the track. It was a foggy morning at Fiorano that day and there was something inspiring about seeing Kimi screaming down the straight into the greyness, then materializing further away as a vague shadow accelerating and braking through the curves, and always with the music of the V8 to accompany his progress. Atmospheric stuff.
But I am no Ferrari worshipper, as my readers know, and a terrible thought occurred to me as I watched the video. This is true heresy, the kind of thing that invites lawsuits from the FIA, but does the testing limit apply to Fiorano as well? And, if so, how is it policed?
Since Fiorano is Ferrari's own testing facility, it is difficult to see how the FIA could keep an eye on it all the time; what is to prevent Ferrari from using it whenever they want to? Indeed, does that shakedown test count towards the year's total allowance for the team?
While the Fiorano test was happening, McLaren were testing the MP4/23 at Jerez - no luxury of their own test circuit for them and no possibility of hiding a few unofficial runs, therefore. Pardon me for even thinking it, but this must surely be an area where the Italian team have an advantage over the rest.
And that is nothing new - Ferrari have used Fiorano for decades and it has been recognized as a priceless advantage. It is only such strange introductions as the testing limit that bring the private facility into question. If limits are imposed in any area, it is only right that they should apply whether a team has special arrangements or not.
No doubt Alianora will come through with all the facts and regulations, thereby setting my mind at ease on this one. It was just a question that occurred to me, that's all...