Todt: Ferrari Losing Ground

"It's true that we've been moving backwards in the last few races," Todt said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper ahead of next weekend's German Grand Prix at Hockenheim. "We're simply too slow."

Ferrari trail Renault and McLaren in the constructors standings while seven-times World Champion Michael Schumacher is third in the driver's Championship, far behind Renault's Fernando Alonso and McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen.

"Our opponents are able to drive their fastest laps at the end of the race while we're struggling after about 20 laps," Todt said. "That is a development backwards."

Todt said that Ferrari's "lacking grip" was the main problem, but that have been unable to find a solution for that.

"It's very difficult for us to clearly evaluate where it lies. It lies not only with the aerodynamics."

Todt said it was neverthless possible that Ferrari could make a "jump forward" at Hockenheim.

He also rejected speculation that BAR driver Jenson Button would move to Ferrari next season.

"There is zero percent truth to that," Todt said.