APRIL 28, 1997

Ferrari boss attacks Goodyear

FERRARI President Luca di Montezemolo told Italian pressmen at Imola that Goodyear is "a sleeping giant" which needs to wake up to the challenge from Bridgestone. Montezemolo said that on Bridgestone tires the Ferraris would be a second a lap quicker. The comments will not please Goodyear engineers and management who have been working hard to produce new rubber and have won all four Grands Prix so far this season.

Montezemolo said that there were no plans to switch tire companies because Goodyear would react. "We have a long term agreement with Goodyear," he said, "no doubt their tires will be better next year."

It has yet to be clearly demonstrated if there is a clear advantage in one tire company or the other and to date, while there has been plenty of talk, no team has decided to jump ship.

One reason is that Goodyear's contracts are American and thus judged in the American courts. The possibility of massive financial damages being awarded against any team that breaks a contract seems to have dissuaded everyone from this course of action - at the moment.