Ferrari must win title – Di Montezemelo

F1 drivers Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso posing with the new Ferrari F150, yesterday.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemelo insisted yesterday that the Italian team must win the 2011 World Championship after last season’s title heartbreak.

As Ferrari’s new and more aggressive car was unveiled at the team’s headquarters in Maranello, Di Montezemelo declared that the revamped team were eagerly anticipating the 2011 season.

He said: “This year we have to win and we will do our best to win.

“We have updated the team, we have made some improvements and we are awaiting the challenges against our first opponents.”

Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso was denied the drivers’ title during the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi last year, after a dubious call from former race engineer Chris Dyer meant the Spaniard wound up in seventh place.

Dyer has since been replaced by Englishman Pat Fry, formerly of Red Bull and McLaren.

Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali assured fans that the Italian outfit will be doing everything they can to win both championships, especially having come so close to helping Alonso triumph in 2010.

“We are starting from a season where we had difficult moments,” said Domenicali, “but we also experienced some beautiful moments. We want to work on and build from these beautiful moments.”

Ferrari are the first team to unveil their 2011 car, which they have called the F150, named to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy.

The new car design incorporates the various regulation changes that will be enforced in 2011 – most notably the introduction of an adjustable rear wing, and the removal of devices such as F-ducts and double diffusers.