Simone Resta: "Ferrari is working hard for a strong 2017"

Ferrari chief designer Simone Resta is confident that the development of the 2017 car is going according to plan and suggests there is no reason why the Scuderia shouldn’t aim for top results in the next season, after a dissatisfying 2016 Formula 1 Championship which the Maranello team began with great expectations, but ended in disappointment, after the Scuderia failed to produce a car that could match the pace and speed of rival Mercedes.

“This is a crucial time in the life of any Formula 1 team, and of course this year more than ever we have to plan everything carefully, because there are a lot of things which will change as compared to previous seasons.” – Simone Resta said, as reportat by the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport – “We are in the final stages of our scheduled development work, although there are still a lot of things to be carried on, because we all know that we need to learn a lot of things about the new car and about the best solutions which can be used with the major rule and regulation changes being made for the 2017 season. But the team is working hard for a strong 2017 and we are eager to get the car on track.”- Scuderia Ferrari’s chief designer added.

Simone Resta did not want to comment on the letter sent to F1 race director Charlie Whiting regarding a system that could replicate FRIC without a physical connection between the front and the rear of the car, which was considered not in compliance with the regulations, nor on the involvement of Rory Byrne in the development of the 2017 Scuderia Ferrari car.

Rory Byrne, a renowned car designer whose name carries as much weight as Red Bull’s Adrian Newey within the paddock of Formula 1, has been working with Ferrari for some time now, although only in a consulting position, without actually being part of the the management team. Byrne worked with Benetton during the mid-90s, designing the title winning cars from the 1994 and 1995 seasons, before joining the Maranello team with legendary German driver Michael Schumacher, back in 1996. He had a significant contribution, alongside Jean Todt and Ross Brawn, in the succes of Scuderia Ferrari until 2004, a period in which the Italian side dominated Formula 1.