Ferrari Will Only Get Better, Says Dennis

McLaren boss Ron Dennis says that he is under no illusions for the 2003 season, and he is expecting that Ferrari will only get better.

The Italian squad today completed a dominant season with their ninth one-two finish of the year, with World Champion Michael Schumacher leading teammate Rubens Barrichello in a race that was dominated from start to finish by the German five-time champion.

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen was third, the Finn benefitting from the retirement of Williams driver Ralf Schumacher near the end of the race. Raikkonen's teammate David Coulthard retired from the race with a mechanical problem after completing only seven laps.

The Woking-based squad, who like Williams have only scored one win this year, have moved closer to their British rivals in the final races of the year, but Dennis has warned that it will be hard to catch Ferrari next season.

"Despite the progress that we have made in the last two races, we are under no illusions that next year's Ferrari will be only better," said Dennis. "We have not lost the ability, knowledge and motivation required to win and coupled with the extensive restructuring and recruitment processes in both McLaren and Mercedes-Benz we believe that we can look forward to a much more competitive 2003 season."

Ferrari, winners of 15 out of 17 races this year, equalled today McLaren's record for most number of wins in a single season, and the Italian team have scored the same amount of points that all the other teams together.