Todt: Teams Should Not Decide on Testing Cuts

Ferrari's team manager Jean Todt believes Formula One teams should not be allowed to have a say in testing rules because each squad will only try to serve their own interests.

Nine of the 10 teams reached a voluntary agreement in November last year to halve the amount of testing carried out next year to 24 days during the season.

Ferrari, constructors' champions for the past six years, did not sign the agreement as they continued to resist attempts to reduce testing. The World Champions then came up with a proposal of their own, but it was rejected by their rivals.

Todt believes the call to reduce testing is just aimed at making Ferrari less competitive.

"By what I feel and see, there shouldn't be an agreement over private testing among the teams, because everyone does what he wants and I think in a sense it's better that way," Todt told Autosprint magazine in an interview.

"As I said, we are working on a programme of costs reductions. Next year we want to reduce our testing costs but we aren't working only on that. And besides, there are already programmes on costs reductions in F1 after 2005. Regulations for having a less costly F1 are being looked at. These are all things we want to do in an articulated and well thought out way.

"But the impression is that there is a desire by everyone to make Ferrari less competitive and that they are trying to find out where we can be damaged the most. So, we have our Fiorano track: it was an investment. We have the advantage that, when we want to test, we can just cross the road or go to Mugello.

"Why should we lose this? To please others? We are only obliged to please our share holders, our clients and our fans, certainly not our competitors. The truth is that every time there's talks of cutting costs, we are the first ones accepting to talk about it.

"We certainly didn't fight for the two-race engine, even if every regulation change penalizes us, since at the moment we are competitive. When in 2002 they wanted to change qualifying at all costs, it was in order to damage Ferrari.

"I've now heard that they want to change the starting order of qualifying on Saturdays. Why? It's clear: who starts first gets a dirty track. So 'they' already think that Ferrari will win the first GPs in 2005, so we must start first in qualifying to be penalized.

"If others want to play smart to beat Ferrari, we can respond. But this is not the problem: the important thing is to always act with sense and I must say we share the same ideas with the FIA. Then everyone says 'ah, Ferrari and FIA always act in accord...', well, let them say what they want.

"The truth is that FIA is cooler and more detached with regards to the problems that need to be solved."

Todt added that Ferrari were in favour of reducing the amount of electronics in the cars, but said any move would have to be well thought out.

"On this aspect too, we are completely in favour of it, but it's also a matter of timing," he said. "When something gets decided, first of all feasibility needs to be verified, but it's something we'll agree on. At the electronics level we are definitely good, but in this case too we are happy to discuss everything because it can cut costs.

"But this doesn't seem feasible for 2006; we can discuss it for 2007. In any case, the earlier we decide, the better. I hope that on 28 January, at the meeting, we'll be able to take some important decisions... It will be the most important day of the year for F1."