Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene insisted today that the Italian outfit is keeping its expectations in check despite the strong form shown by the SF15-T thus far in testing.

The car has consistently been at or close to the top of the times in the six days held thus far, and Kimi Raikkonen has stressed that it is a big improvement over its predecessor.

“My job is to rebuild the team, to create a calm environment and to ensure that the great determination I have seen in every member of the team is rewarded with results,” said Arrivabene.

“I have never believed in such a thing as a winter championship. We have our feet on the ground and as I said already in December, winning two races could be considered a success, three would be perfect and if we win four, I will run barefoot on the hills of Maranello. We have two fantastic drivers and they are also great friends and that can only benefit the whole team.”

Arrivabene said it was all about teamwork: “I wish to underline yet again that the most important thing is for us all to pull together, with common goals and with the determination I saw in the eyes of those who were even at work on 24 and 31 December, in the mechanical or composites departments, to the backdrop of the sound of the engines rather than ‘Jingle Bells.’

“I have seen that there are exceptional people in Maranello and each one of them is making a contribution. However, it’s clear the car does not belong to any one person, it belongs to Ferrari and its people.”