Wind tunnel failure cost Ferrari, says Todt

Ferrari lost precious development time early this season due to a wind tunnel failure, team boss Jean Todt said.

"We had a problem with the carpet (rolling road), the metallic carpet and we lost about two weeks' development, but that's not an excuse," he told reporters.

Asked whether the failure had hurt the Italian team, the Frenchman added: "Okay, but it's up to us to have a wind tunnel that doesn't break."

He did not give a date but a team spokesman said the failure at the Maranello factory happened in April.

McLaren have won the last three races with Ferrari represented on the podium only through Felipe Massa's third places in Monaco and the United States.

The Mercedes-powered team are 35 points clear of Ferrari after seven races. However, Ferrari showed clear signs of improvement in testing at Silverstone last week, after bringing in new aerodynamic developments.

Todt said it was too early to be sure but hoped Ferrari would prove far more competitive from now on.

"Overall, Ferrari has been competitive since the beginning and we wished we had more success, but it is like with the wind tunnel - we did not work as well as our competitors and that is why the others are in front," Todt said.