[Jody Barton]

Fingers crossed Morini, but like you, I'll wait until I see F1 cars on the streets of Melbourne. Bahrain and Vietnam though, those are definitely wobbling.

[morini]

Anybody else see this?

https://www-motorsport-com.cdn.ampprojec...4709351%2F

Smoke and mirror diversion tactic, or are they genuinely expecting us to believe they are off the pace?

[Jody Barton]

I do not think they're that far off the front of the grid no, but let's be honest, if they are why the hell wouldn't they switch to their 2021 car. To be honest with you this isn't anything I wouldn't expect any of the teams to say. If any of them are off of their target early on in the season they'll pull the plug on 2020 and go full on 2021.

[morini]

but let's be honest, if they are why the hell wouldn't they switch to their 2021 car. 

Dunno, because it's like admitting defeat before you've even started? When we are at the very end of a regs period we are all wanting to see the natural bunching up of the field, not for one of the big teams to throw the towel in. My deflect-attention-away-ometer is in the red zone on this one anyway. Pretty sure it's bullshit, unless there is more to this FIA engine story than first meets the eye. Perhaps that's hurt Ferrari more than we all think? I doubt it, personally.

Besides, we all know the big teams have been focusing a ton of resource on the 2021 regulations already. They have plenty of people to continue to develop the 2020 car and work on the 2021 car.

[Jody Barton]

Not really addressing the whole "what if they are miles off" thing though are you? If as Binotto said after the first six or so races they're miles off why wouldn't they quit and shift their focus to 2021? They have a budget cap to deal with in 2021 as well, so the more they can front load development of the car in 2020 the better for them. Thing is... I don't think it'll happen, genuinely I do not think they'll be miles behind after six or so races. I think they're down playing it all.

[Jody Barton]

Well this puts a possible dent in F1 going to Australia:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/abcnews.go....s-69382418

Firstly I know of two teams whose travel plans connect via Seoul, RBR and McLaren. There may be more, but more importantly, it's the criteria that was applied by the Australian Government, bans on people travelling from Italy can't be too far behind... and that scuppers Ferrari maybe, although they wisely took precautions to keep their trackside team out of Italy, but it sure as hell screws Alpha Toro Tauri Rossi or whatever the bloody hell they're called, because they didn't, and as I understand it their team is right in an outbreak zone. Methinks this opening GP might yet have to be cancelled.

[Monster Hesh]

Only thing I can think of is that Ferrari quarantined all vital weekend personnel over the past two weeks. So they could get into Aus.

[Jody Barton]

Yeah, Hesh they did. None of them have been back to Italy since the close of testing in Barcelona. It could get really, really difficult for them if they have to continually do it though. The outbreak in Italy is showing zero sign of slowing up.

[The Professor]

It could get really, really difficult for them if they have to continually do it though.

This must be why Ferrari are threatening to switch development to the 2021 car early. Nothing to do with performance, they are going to blow all of their 2020 development budget having to buy fresh undercrackers for the race team who aren't allowed to go home 

[Jody Barton]

All joking aside Professor, it must get exceedingly expensive putting up your entire race support staff in hotels in other countries, and even worse is the fact their mechanics can't practice pit stops, and engine / gearbox changes. It'll have one hell of an impact I'd imagine, and being away from your family this long can't be great for moral, especially given the reason and circumstances surrounding the separation.