Ferrari’s closest rivals, McLaren-Mercedes and BMW Sauber, have admitted that they are unlikely to fly out of Melbourne on Sunday night with the biggest trophy.
“For many observers it would be a big surprise if Ferrari did not win in Australia,” McLaren-Mercedes’ engine competition chief Norbert Haug told the German newspaper ‘Welt am Sonntag’.
Based on the winter test times, he confessed that Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen possess a “small advantage” with their F2007 single seater for the start of the season.
Works BMW driver Nick Heidfeld, meanwhile, agrees that Ferrari “dominated” the most recent pre-season test, held at Bahrain’s Sakhir grand prix circuit.
“They also finished last season very strongly,” the 29-year-old emphasised to the Sunday newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeinen, “and they know the Bridgestone tyres better than anyone.”
Heidfeld said McLaren is likely to finish just behind the red cars in Melbourne.
“After them it is very close,” he added.
“We are also in that group, and so is Renault.”
