Ferrari advance with 2009 car development

With a new set of aerodynamic rules, allied to the likely return of slick tyres, a number of teams are already hard at work in preparing their future challengers.

And Ferrari sporting director Stefano Domenicali says his team will need to ensure they keep up their work for 2009 while also improving their current F2008.

"The (new) regulations will allow for some sensational developments that will greatly differentiate the cars, while today the possibilities of changing are curbed by regulations we've had for many years," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"For over a month now there's been a scale model of the 2009 car in the wind tunnel. We are making experiments full-time, and once again we'll need to get on the track very early.

"We'll have to work in parallel on the evolutions of the car that is about to go racing. But the team size is the same, we haven't doubled it."

Michael Schumacher, who has driven for the Italians over the winter, could help Ferrari in their testing programme for the new car.

But Domenicali has made it clear that despite his running, the seven-time champion is unlikely to be considering a full-time comeback.

"There are always too many dangers in comebacks," he said. "Schumacher has the sense of challenge in his DNA, so nowadays he fights against that DNA."