Why Ferrari could bounce back in Spain

With Ferrari delivering the first parts of a major update package on the final day of Mugello testing, Alonso mentioned that he was under no illusions about the importance of their development plans - even though it is too early to judge how much of a step forward it will bring.

Alonso celebrates victory in Malaysia

Testing times mean little. Yet, if we consider the winter testing performance of the Lotus, which proved to be genuine so far, there's probably a good reason why we need to consider the timesheets in testing. Thus, Ferrari come into the picture.

The team were the very first to debut a new exhaust system on Thursday morning with Fernando Alonso behind the wheel, but Massa said the full upgrade will not arrive on the F2012 until the next race at Barcelona. On Wednesday, Massa tested a smaller update package, admitting "the defects are the same", but he is hopeful Ferrari will improve the car over the next few races.

Alonso also ran a new rear bodywork on the final day at Mugello, but has played down the significance of what he tried out - and thinks too much is now being made about exhaust designs.

When asked for his feeling on the new exhaust configuration, he said: "Nothing surprising in terms of performance. I think we tried different configurations of exhaust layout and each day we had a different one and different parts on the car. I think it was just to confirm what our thoughts were and what to bring for the next races and for development.

Ferrari's new exhaust package

Despite both drivers playing down any significant performance changes, the timing screens suggest otherwise. On all three days, the team seemed to be close to the top and running some quite consistent laps. Their pace was much more promising than during winter testing, and it's clearly visible that they managed to take at least a few steps forward. Their upgrade package is already huge, and they seem to have quite a unique exhaust solution on their hands, but it's only a small part of the final picture. In Spain, Ferrari will most likely introduce a revamped exhaust design, a new floor, new sidepods, different front wing and probably their own DDRS system.

One thing Ferrari can count on is their money. They have the financial resources to regain momentum, and this three day testing has done them some good. Expect them to be much closer to the top than in the previous races.