Jean Todt has played down media reports that Magny Cours will be the start of a rejuvenated push by Ferrari for the 2006 world title, with supposedly nearly $30m of extra funds.
But following Michael Schumacher’s dominance at Indianapolis, the Maranello-based team’s boss did confirm that the ‘248’ has been equipped with new bodywork.
”But I would not say the new parts can be defined as significant in terms of performance,” he insisted.
Todt also expects Renault to re-join the battle on home territory. ”Here in France,” he explained, ”I think we will find that our main rivals will be more competitive once again.”
The 60-year-old similarly discarded any real sentimentality about the significance of his own ‘home’ race; and the fact that, at Magny Cours in 1993, Todt emerged on the scene as Ferrari’s new chief.
But he did admit: ”If I had been told back then that I would still be here today, I would not have believed it.
”And it’s not over yet!”
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