F2002 is Best Ferrari Ever, Says Byrne

Ferrari's chief designer Rory Byrne has labeled the new F2002 which was unveiled on Wednesday in Maranello as the best Formula One car produced by the Italian squad so far.

The F2002, Ferrari's 48th Formula One machine, is an evolution of the successful F2001 with which the team clinched their third consecutive Constructors' Championship last year. The chassis has been redesigned, and is now lighter and has a greater structural integrity.

The team said that they have optimised the aerodynamic efficiency in order to maximise the performance of the new 051 engine. According to Byrne, the parts that are not completely new have been revised to perform better, so though is based on its predecessor, the F2002 is a completely new machine.

"Many areas of the car had to be fundamentally reviewed in order to make a step forward in performance because these areas were close to the limit of development on the F2001," said Byrne. "In addition, the areas that have not changed fundamentally have been further refined and optimised to maximise functionality and performance, so almost every part on this car is newly designed.

"I would like to thank everyone for their contribution in producing what I believe will be the best Ferrari F1 car ever."