While it has already been revealed that the new Ferrari would not be on the Albert Park grid next March, chief designer at the Maranello based squad has now revealed that Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello could be using a hybrid F2004 until the San Marino Grand Prix, round five of the 2005 season.
While plans for the completion of the new charger are on track for the end of February, Byrne told Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport that they are opting to delay its race debut to ensure that it is as close as it can be to the perfect replacement for their 2004 winning contender.
"In the last few weeks we have been defining the 2005 car, concentrating on the aerodynamics and carrying out simulations on the vehicle's dynamics," he told the paper. "Some parts, such as gearbox and chassis, are well advanced, while others, like the monocoque, haven't been designed yet because we gave precedence to the aerodynamics. The objective is to have the car on track by the end of February. We could already have it for the first race of 2005, but we are not in a hurry as we want to deepen research and design so that the car can be close to perfect on its debut, which we expect it to be between the third and fifth race."
The season opener will therefore be contested in an interim version of this years car, including a ‘good part of the new car's aerodynamics.’ Meanwhile, the powerplant will be the same one used this season, but updated to the new regulations that means it must be able to run two consecutive races. The gearbox will be this year’s but the monocoque will be adapted to the new anti-intrusion safety regulations.
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