Ferrari Could Switch Focus to 2006 Car

With Renault and McLaren's current advantage at the front of the field making it increasingly unlikely that Ferrari can close down and fight for the World Championship this year, the Maranello outfit are set to shift their resources onto the new chassis concept required for V8 engines sooner rather than later.

Speaking to Speedtv.com, Brawn made it clear that it was too early for Ferrari to abandon all work on the F2005 but believed a point would come soon where it would be more beneficial for the team's long term interest to focus on their 2006 ambitions.

"It has to be balanced, we have to balance what we can achieve this year and what resources we can devote to next year," said Brawn. "Clearly we're not competitive enough this year.

"If we pour all our efforts into this year and sacrifice next year, I'm not sure that will be the right choice. We've got to make a balanced judgment between improving this season and making sure that we get back to where we want to be next year."

Brawn wants Ferrari's 2006 car to be ready much earlier than the team's most recent cars have - and that means an interim chassis designed around the new V8 engine will likely be on the track within the next few months.

"We've got a hybrid car being built which will run this summer, which is the current car modified to take a V8 engine," he added.

"Then we're intending to have the race car ready earlier than this one. So we'll be back on a more normal schedule, with the car being launched early next year, and with a hybrid car being used to run the engine and transmission and all those sorts of pieces."