Brawn: F2004 is 'best yet'

Despite talk beforehand of radical new wings, the new car bears a striking resemblance to last year's successful design. There are some important detail changes, however. The car has a shorter wheelbase than last year's car, and appears smaller overall. The cockpit opening has also moved further back.

Technical director Ross Brawn said: "Once again, this car represents another significant step in performance, and I am proud to say that this is the best Ferrari we have produced so far.

"Our analysis of the 2003 season highlighted the areas where we were strong and those where we weak. Certainly, we did not react aggressively enough to the opportunities presented by the 2003 regulation changes. For 2004 we have worked to ensure that we will not make the same mistake."

Brawn made a special note of mentioning the importance of tyre supplier Bridgestone in the fight for the world championship.

"One of the key elements to our eventual success in 2003 was our technical partnerships, and perhaps the most important partnership is with Bridgestone," said Brawn. "What must be understood is that during a tyre war of the intensity and level we have experienced in the last few seasons, no tyre company can be totally dominant. We will succeed or fail on the strength of our tyres. This does not mean we expect Bridgestone to shoulder that responsibility alone."