Ferrari unveil 2003 'supercar'

Michael Schumacher has been promised a car even better than last year’s all-conquering Ferrari as he chases a record sixth drivers’ crown this season.

The German took the wraps off the F2003-GA today with the team predicting it will prove faster than its successor, which won 14 out of 15 races.

Ferrari’s confidence will send a chilling warning to their major rivals, who are already struggling to bridge the gap to the 2002 car.

“The car looks very special – I hope it goes as fast as it looks,” said Schumacher at today’s launch at Maranello in Italy of the car which has been named in tribute to Gianni Agnelli, figurehead of Ferrari’s parent company FIAT who died recently.

“I am surprised the team can find so many changes to last year’s car which was special already, but they have.

“Our aim this year is to win the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles again and they will be in tribute to Gianni.”

Schumacher insisted he would not dominate this season as he did last year when he won 11 of the 17 races to romp to a fifth title and emulate the record of Argentina’s Juan Pablo Montoya.

“It would be too much too think we could do that again,” added Schumacher, who won the championship with six races to spare. “I don’t expect to do that but it would not be a disappointment.

“For me, all I am concerned about is winning the championship – whether it is in the last race or the middle of the season. Its just more comfortable if it comes earlier.

“But I am not even thinking of the record sixth title. That’s not what interests me – all I am thinking about is winning each race.”

The F2003-GA will have its first run at Ferrari’s home track of Fiorano next week, although the team don’t plan on racing it until the fourth round of the season when F1 returns to Europe for the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola in Italy.

“We will start the season with the old car,” added Schumacher. “Hopefully the old car will give us some points at the beginning of the season and then the new car will give us the step-forward.”

McLaren, who like Ferrari will start the campaign in Melbourne on March 9 with a heavily-modified version of last year’s car, and Williams – whose 2003 challenger had a disappointing initial debut last week – must hope the new Ferrari does not live up to its promise.

But the chances are the F2003-GA will prove too quick for its rivals, leaving F1 facing another year of Ferrari domination.

“Last year I predicted that the F2002 would prove to be the best Ferrari F1 car ever and it proved to be the most successful,” said Rory Byrne, who has arguably taken over from Adrian Newey as the most feared designer in the sport.

“We have not yet run the F2003-GA but so far all our performance objectives have been reached or exceeded, so I am confident the F2003-GA will be the best Ferrari F1 car ever.”

Technical director Ross Brawn, who has masterminded four successive constructors’ titles for Ferrari, said: “Year on year this car is probably the biggest step in performance to date.

“To win 15 races again is a promise that is difficult to make – but we will do our best.”