Button: Such a slow Ferrari is strange

While Ferrari hopes to match the pace of the leaders, test driver Giancarlo Fisichella tested the new specification F10 last week. On Thursday, the Roman conducted an aerodynamic test in Vairano with a specific package that Ferrari will bring to Montreal for Sunday's race.

However, a fully modified car is only expected for the Valencia stage. The Maranello team has confirmed that in Canada the F10 will have essentially "the same specifications" seen in Turkey two weeks ago, where Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa had a pace clearly lower than that of the front runners.

“This is strange,” Jenson Button said during a press event in Toronto on Tuesday.

“They (Ferrari) had a perfect winter. They were fast, very consistent, and very reliable, and we thought, 'Wow, they're going to be unattainable.'

“But they can still get back into the fight, it's a very strong team and Fernando and Felipe are experts. They can never be given up for dead. We never underestimate them,” added the current world champion.

Sporting director Stefano Domenicali said Ferrari cannot be discouraged by the situation.

“It's pointless to do it when there are still two-thirds of the season to go,” the manager told Canadian newspaper La Presse.

“We spent a lot of energy trying to develop the F-Duct and this may have caused some delay in the development of other areas,” Domenicali added.

“Many things can change after each race and we certainly won't lower our heads or get demoralized. This is what those who don't reach their goals do, and it's certainly not the case with Ferrari."

André Cotta