Grapevine: Ferrari Deny Plans to Start Season with F2001

Ferrari's technical director Ross Brawn has denied the Italian team have plans to use this year's F2001 chassis in the first races of the 2002 season.

A report published by Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport this week suggested the current World Champions would use this year's successful chassis in the fly-away races, with the 2002 car making its debut in the first Grand Prix in Europe at Imola.

Briton Brawn denied the team have already decided to start the new season with the F2001, but also admitted that it could be a possibility.

"We intend to start with the new car, but we also need to finish races and score points at the start of the season, so we have the option to start with the old car - as does every team," Brawn told BBC.

"It's unusual this time in that you can start the new season with the old car. Because of rule changes, that has not been the case for some time. So we have it as an insurance policy. But it has been a bit exaggerated in the press."

"The car is a design evolution of the 2001 car, but there are some things in the engine and transmission which may need smoothing out."

Ferrari won in 2001 their third Constructors' Championship in a row this season, with Michael Schumacher winning nine Grands Prix to score his fourth drivers' title.