Forced to take a month-long break just as their championship battle with McLaren was starting to sizzle, Ferrari drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa are keen to return to the scrap on the track.
Both drivers are confidently talking about improvements made to their F2007 cars since the Bahrain Grand Prix, where Massa grabbed his first win of the season and Raikkonen came in third.
"We've taken a big step forward with the aerodynamics and the stopwatch has certified the improvements," Massa said as this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix approached.
"We've improved the car a lot, not only with new components but also because it's much more in tune now with my style of driving. I'm optimistic because we can put all our energy into attacking," said Raikkonen.
Going into this weekend's race, the Finn is joint first in the drivers' standings with McLaren's two drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton. Massa is just five points behind.
The Brazilian made no secret of his hopes of grabbing a second victory in Barcelona and said additional chicanes and slow curves incorporated into the track there could help him.
"The opportunities for overtaking at the end of the straight are much higher. You're no longer coming out of a fast curve and so you can stay in the slipstream of the car in front."
Raikkonen, who drove a McLaren to victory in Barcelona in 2005, was also keen to grab a second win after his success in Australia. But he hinted that winning at all costs was not his priority, especially if it meant taking risks.
"The championship is very tight and it's more important than ever to get all the points you can," said the driver, who is not nicknamed 'Iceman' only because he comes from the snowy north.
Raikkonen admitted he was relieved to be back in Europe after three races in the blazing sun of Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain. "The best part of the season is about to start," he said confidently.
But his joy over the geography of the coming Formula 1 races was not only linked to the weather. "Now we're racing in Europe again I can follow the crucial phases of the ice hockey season on TV".
Massa also has his ways of relaxing between races. After winning in Bahrain a month ago he went to Milan to model some clothes for Italian stylists Dolce & Gabbana.
"I don't think I have a future as a model," he admitted afterwards.
