Todt: "Our ambitions for 2006 are high"

Maranello, 13th January - Ferrari's general manager, Jean Todt
announced the schedule for the team's 2006 Grand Prix challenger at
Madonna di Campiglio on Thursday evening, and once again emphasised
that the team was more immediately concerned with the 2006 season than
the possible departure of Michael Schumacher. He also pointed out that
the team and company is profitable, and explained the situation with
partners present and future.

"We started the car today for the first time and at the beginning of
next week we are going to start private testing at Fiorano," said
Todt, "not with a black car but with a red car with no writing on it,
so something different in comparison to what we have done in the past.
There is a possibility that we will run this Monday and then we will
do some tests for a few days with Michael in Fiorano.

"After that, we are going to do some tests in our workshops and then
on Tuesday the 24th, we are going to present the car in Mugello during
some testing and we are going to present it with our partners and the
press."

Todt went on to explain that the team is not financially challenged as
some members of the press believe. "I do realise that many of you may
not have noticed that as of 2006, thanks to the agreements that we
have signed, we are going to have some greater revenues as against
what we've had in the past.

"Unfortunately, we had to accept the departure of Vodafone, because
Vodafone wanted to stay with Ferrari but we could not keep Vodafone
with Ferrari and we're going to announce, in the next few days, some
further agreements that have been reached. But I insist that I've read
on many many occasions that Ferrari was financially in dire straits
and we might not be able to support our programmes in the future.
Well, all this is false and does not correspond to reality, to the
truth.

"Some of our competitors may like to insist on these problems, but
unfortunately for them it's not going to be so, and so we are going to
have the means necessary to tackle future championships and of course
this also means that we cannot use this as an excuse for lack of
resources because we do have the resources."

Todt then explained positive elements from last year's disappointing
season. "2005 was an important year for Ferrari in spite of all this
because Ferrari has been profitable, our cars have sold well and we
have presented some new cars which have been successful in the market
and are still looking good for the future. We have renewed some very
important contracts for Formula One. We were the first to renew the
Concorde Agreement with the FIA up to the year 2012 so something
positive did take place during 2005. Perhaps it was not easy to see
but they are surely important for the future of our firm."

Todt once again emphasised that the team was focusing on 2006 rather
than 2007 and potential changes within the team "I have seen and I
have read that many teams are already thinking about 2007. We are
thinking, for the time being, on 2006, so for 2006, we have two very
motivated drivers. We have Michael and I spoke to him before coming
here, on the mobile phone, and he was telling me that before seeing
me, before dinner, he was going to train. He's motivated, he wanted to
try the car before Christmas because, just like all of us, he was very
displeased about the 2005 season and really he wants to do something
in 2006.

"Then, and he said so clearly this morning, during the year he's going
to decide whether he's going to continue or not. He does not know, so
if he doesn't know, I know even less about what he is going to do in
the future.

"Concerning the date when he announces it. He has no pressure. He has
no pressure from the team. I let you give him pressure but he has no
pressure from team. When he feels happy to decide which direction he
wants to take in his career it will be convenient for us. It is up to
us to organise ourselves in order to respond to the situation and to
make sure that Ferrari is not penalised and can have all the elements
in hand to be a winning team."

In conclusion, Todt explained that the team's hopes are high but they
are certainly not deluding themselves. "Our ambitions for 2006 are
high. I never said that we are going to win everything in 2006, this
is not part of my nature even if I would like to see Ferrari win
everything. But what I can say is that we are going to make greatest
possible effort, we are going to do our best, we have the
determination, we have the motivation so as to try to have a great
season in 2006. Of course, we do know it's going to be difficult as in
all years. It is not going to be easy, but as I mentioned, it has
never been easy and it's part of the rules of the game. If it was
easy, we would not be interested in racing. "

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