^ I think Brawn came out yesterday saying that they have halted most of the 2005 work for now due to all the rule changes in 05.
http://f1.racing-live.com/en/headlin...25082513.shtml
Ferrari forced to scrap 2005 car designs
Same engine for Ferrari next season?
World champions Ferrari have already scrapped development on their 2005 car and could start next season with their current machine, Technical Director Ross Brawn said Saturday at Hockenheim.
New regulations were put forward for next year by the sport's governing body, FIA, before the French Grand Prix and they are likely to be accepted by the teams to be brought in for next year's season-opening race in March.
Brawn said his team are now working on designs based on the proposed new regulations and admitted: "We had already started next year's car and done quite a lot of work on it and most of that is now scrapped."
"We have had to stop gearbox design and have put a hold on some of the chassis design. The engine that we were making has been stopped and we are now going to keep the same engine because of the requirement for it to last for two races."
"So (the rule changes) have had quite an impact and a lot of teams will be looking at taking their old cars to the first few races. It is a big compromise but you have to design a car for next year that is good over 19 races."
"I think it will be a struggle for teams to do a really good job for the first race of the season and I think a lot of teams will choose to have a compromise for the first few races to do a better job for the subsequent races. Particularly if we have 19 races on the calendar then if you do the first four races with your old car you still have 15 races to take advantage of the extra time."
Ferrari are well ahead of the competition - they could win the constructors' world championship in this weekend's German Grand Prix - and they had already stopped development on this year's car to work towards next season.
Brawn said that any improvements in the final six races of this season will come from tyre development and small engine tweaks rather than any new mechanical and aerodynamic chassis parts from Ferrari.
Next year's changes, which include a raised front wing and alterations to the rear of the car, have been suggested in a bid to reduce the speeds of the cars and Brawn said that tests show they reduce downforce by 25-30 percent.
He admitted the cars do need to be slowed "every now and again" and backed the plans but blamed himself and fellow Technical Directors from other teams for not acting on the FIA's demands more hastily.
"The FIA have been asking us for a couple of years to come forward with proposals to slow the car and, of course, generally we like to see the cars go fast so it is not our priority to slow them down," said Brawn.
"We have only got ourselves to blame because we didn't respond early enough and what we have now is what you always have as a consequence of making rule changes that late. It was probably time we did make some changes and if we didn't they would be another one or two seconds faster next year. And we have probably got the most to lose because we are winning in a strong fashion. Some people feel it is a good thing to shake the whole thing up and cause a little bit of chaos. It is no bad thing because it may change the natural order of things."
"We accept the changes are necessary and we look upon it as a new challenge and a new set of rules we have to build the best car to. Our people are now working hard on the proposed new regulations."
2004 German GP Result
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