The closing of the Formula 1 season on Sunday marked the beginning of a new era at Ferrari, the details of which remain unclear. The only things that are certain at Ferrari are that Michael Schumacher has retired from racing and next year's driving team will be made up of Felipe Massa, the winner of Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix, and new arrival Kimi Raikkonen.
According to Ferrari team principal Jean Todt, "a new era has begun and we will announce a number of organizational changes in the near future. Although the team may change, our objectives will remain the same".
Todt confirmed that Schumacher, after ten years and five titles, would remain with Ferrari but he did not spell out what the seven times world champion would do. "Michael will stay on in a different role. He is a very important resource for us," Todt said.
Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn agreed and added: "not only does he know how to drive, but he also understands the car in a way no one else does and for a Formula 1 team this is a very important asset". According to some observers, Schumacher has two basic options open to him at Ferrari: he can stay on playing an active role on the team as 'super mechanic', or he can take on a public relations job and act as pitchman for the
company.
Schumacher himself has given no indication of what he intends to do and after Sunday's race, in which he finished fourth after falling to last place because of a tire mishap,would only say that he would take some time off to think. "Life is full of opportunities. We'll see," he told the press.
Although becoming the team's super technician would be the most logical role for him, there are some who believe his overshadowing presence could stifle Ferrari's young lions, Massa and Raikkonen. The new era at Ferrari is also expected to see new roles for both Todt and Brawn, the two men who most linked their careers at Ferrari with Schumacher.
Todt in all likelihood will leave the paddock and focus more on running the company, while Brawn appears set to leave his post a technical director to his assistant and Ferrari track engineer Luca Baldisserri. Well informed sources said that Mario Almondo, one of Ferrari's best technicians, will become responsible for team management while the current sports director, Stefano Domenicali, will take Todt's place at the track calling the
shots.
Aldo Costa will retain his job as chief car designer, with Nicolas Tombazis responsible for aerodynamics, while Paolo Martinelli will almost certainly step down as head of the motor division and be replaced by Mattia Binotto, who is responsible for engines at the track.
