Ferrari: New track, new challenges

In a few days Formula 1 will make its debut in Korea for the first edition of the Grand Prix of the same name. A debut attracts attention but this time everyone's interest will be more focused on the exciting battle for the championship, involving five drivers and three teams, all with a chance of taking home the title in mid-November in Abu Dhabi .


The Yeongam circuit, located on the southwestern coast of Korea, received the green light from the FIA ​​only a couple of days after the Japanese Grand Prix. The logistics for all races outside Europe are complicated, given the number of people and tons of material required, but when you go to a new track you add a variable to an already complex equation. Furthermore, Yeongam and the nearby town of Mokpo have never previously hosted an international event of this scale and all teams had to work hard to find enough hotel accommodation for everyone.

For Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa and the entire Scuderia, none of these potential problems must constitute a source of distraction from their work this weekend, with the Spanish driver very busy in the championship duel, which currently sees him in second place with the same points by Sebastian Vettel and fourteen behind leader Mark Webber. So making everything run smoothly is more important than ever and the ultimate responsibility falls on the shoulders of the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Sporting Director, Massimo Rivola. Massimo has been in this role for almost two years after spending eleven years working for the other Italian Formula 1 team, Minardi, which became Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2006. “Working for Ferrari is very different to what I did at Minardi/Toro Rosso” – says Rivola – “I have great respect for my previous team, where I learned a lot, and I was very lucky to have that experience: when you work for a "small" team you are responsible for various activities but it must also be said that, from an organizational point of view, there are fewer people to manage. A fundamental difference is that if before I dreamed of winning at Ferrari I now continue to do so but with the awareness that I have to succeed! This requires a different approach: there is a lot of pressure but the kind you want to have.”

“In order to keep unpleasant surprises to a minimum, as soon as a new date is inserted in the calendar, logistics staff are sent to inspect the circuit, the venue, the nearby cities, the hotels and the land transport network” – explains Rivola – “In addition to these elements which are fundamental to allow the team to work without external disturbances even if everything is new and unknown, there is information relating to the track that must be collected. On the one hand there are those that concern the garage area and its dimensions, the infrastructure provided in terms of electrical connections, office spaces and so on; on the other there are those relating to the technical characteristics of the route.” For the first part the teams receive support mainly from the FOM but also from the FIA. “As soon as the calendar is released we start asking the FIA ​​for as much information as possible so we can build our simulation models” – continues Rivola – “The level of simulators is now such that we can learn a lot about a new track even before having turned around. As Sporting Director, information on the pit lane is very important, especially regarding the size of the slow lane, as it has an influence on the safety of the mechanics, especially during pit stops. The fast lane is also important, in particular to understand how to release the car after the pit stop, as well as the distance between one garage and another. It is never easy to get this information because, although the pits and pit lane are often the first thing built in a new facility, final details such as the white lines are just as often among the last to be completed. When we get to the track, I'm sure we will find some small differences between our simulations and reality.”

The mechanics have already arrived in Yeongam in recent days, given that they had remained in Asia after the previous race: “To try to minimize stressful and unnecessary trips, we have chosen to keep a large part of the mechanics and other operational staff on this side of the world after the Japanese Grand Prix” – continues Rivola – “The people who usually leave the track last after having finished packing all the material are those who arrive first at the following race to set up the pits and prepare the work areas. This way, they didn't have to return to Europe and leave for Asia after just a few days. Instead, the engineers returned to Maranello after the Suzuka weekend to continue working on the development of the F10 and to refine the preparation for this circuit.”

Rivola's role means that he is often, in the periods between races, the point of contact between the team and the drivers: who better than him can tell us what Fernando and Felipe's feeling is at this key moment of the season? “As soon as one Grand Prix finishes, Fernando is already totally focused on the next one” – says Massimo – “It's a very demanding moment for him because he knows that he can't afford the slightest mistake so he is completely focused on his job. As for Felipe, he hasn't had much luck in the last two races but, despite this, his motivation hasn't been affected. We will give him all the support we can because we know that he will be able to play an important role in the outcome of the championship. I spoke to him a few days ago and found him to be in good form, although, understandably, he is disappointed not to still be fighting for the title: but he is a true Ferrari driver, one of those who never gives up. The team is also very motivated: we know that we can do it and that we can count on two riders capable of achieving the results we want to achieve. Naturally we are aware that the situation is very difficult also because there is a car that is ahead of us in the standings and that, in the last race, was faster than us but our philosophy is to never give up and it will be like this until the end."