Brawn Expects Rivals to Come Back Strong

Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn claimed that the McLaren and Williams teams will come back strongly next year and insisted that they could "kick Ferrari's arses".

Brawn admitted that Ferrari's domination comes from the fact McLaren embarrassed them in the 1998 season, after the Italian team wrapped up the Constructors' Championship in Hungary.

But the technical director insisted that McLaren and Williams will come back and challenge the World Champions and said that they could use similar motivation to that used by Ferrari after 1998.

"I think so," Brawn said when asked if McLaren and Williams can overturn the deficit on Ferrari next season. "We know that can be done because we did it ourselves in '98. We went to Melbourne and it was embarrassing. I think by the end of the year we were making a Championship out of it.

"We're very conscious of it, we're anxious about it, concerned about it and everyone at Ferrari is doing something to avoid it happening."

He added: "You do respond to the situation and I'm proud of the fact that in '98 we were getting our arses kicked by McLaren, and here we are doing a little bit of the other. They'll come back and kick our arse again I'm sure."

Brawn claimed that Williams are a growing team, while McLaren are reorganising their staff in an attempt to optimise their performance and insisted Ferrari are only ahead because of stability.

"What you appear to have with the other teams is that Williams are going through a growing phase. They've a relatively new partner with the engine," he said.

"They've some young talented engineers who are gaining in experience, while you've McLaren who seem to be going through some reorganisation at the moment with their design staff. Perhaps we are benefiting from the stability we have, something we talk about quite often, and that enables us to keep building on what we have.

"It's a logical progression from each step to the next one. I think we try to be logical. So what we know how to do, we do it the best we can and if the other teams don't match that in a particular year then that's down to them."