Ferrari launch expected mid-Feb

The new car will not make its race debut until the San Marino Grand Prix on May 8 and rivals fear that Ferrari could use the delay to get a better interpretation of the new 2005 regulations. These include smaller front and rear wings to reduce downforce, engines that must last two grand prix weekends and tyres that must last an entire race.

Ferrari has used its policy of introducing cars mid-season to good effect in the last couple of years and it is unlikely that the team will waste the extra time it has made available by delaying the debut of the F2005 car.

Ferrari sporting director Jean Todt said at the team's pre-season press conference: "We are going to start the championship with the F2004B to a specification which takes into account the new regulations and today our programme expects us to do the first four grands prix with the 2004 car.

"Why four? Well, simply considering the new rules, one power unit for two grands prix and we want to do two sequences of two grands prix and then we will start from Spain with the new car."

World champion Michael Schumacher began testing the F2004B at Barcelona on Tuesday, while team-mate Rubens Barrichello is expected to run on Thursday. Ferrari, which signed Marc Gene to its test team alongside Luca Badoer last November, is one of only a few teams to have run its car to the full 2005-spec regulations since winter testing began last year.