Ferrari to Follow Own Testing Programme

World Champions Ferrari will stick to their own programme in 2005 and will not limit their testing to the number of days proposed by their rivals, team boss Jean Todt has said.

Nine of the 10 teams signed up for their own initiative at the 2004 season-ending race in Brazil in October that would halve testing during the season to 24 days. Ferrari refused to sign up for an agreement described by Todt at the time as a piece of paper to be thrown away.

Ferrari came up with a proposal of their own which suggested restricting testing during the season to 15,000 kilometres per team for car development, with the obligation to run at just one track in any given week. There would also be a limit of 15,000 km for each of the two tyre manufacturers.

Todt said Ferrari will stick to their plan instead of following their rivals' proposal.

"We are divided over testing," Todt told reporters at Madonna di Campiglio in Italy. "Contrary to what the others claim they will do - choosing to test for just 30 days without getting any financial gain - we will follow our own programme.

"It states when and where to test - maybe by doing more kilometers, but using just one car and one track at a time - and it will let us save up to three million euro per year and cut the personnel involved by 15 units."

Todt said Ferrari had been isolated but claimed they were accustomed to it.

"We have always been, geographically as well," the Frenchman added. "It's normal, we've made life harder for the others, so they all love the idea of beating us. But our objective doesn't change."