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F1: Ferrari Removes ‘Barcode’ From Cars, Schu Admits ‘More Relaxed’ But Still Serious

FERRARI'S 2010 car no longer features a controversial 'barcode' livery on its engine cover.

The Italian team last week angrily rejected reports the signage was subliminal advertising for its tobacco sponsor Philip Morris.

Even Ferra


FERRARI'S 2010 car no longer features a controversial 'barcode' livery on its engine cover.

The Italian team last week angrily rejected reports the signage was subliminal advertising for its tobacco sponsor Philip Morris.

Even Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo slammed the suggestion, insisting the claims were "ridiculous".

But in the team's Barcelona pit garage on Thursday, the barcode was gone, replaced by a white rectangle with a red background.

However, the clothing worn by team members including drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa in Spain still features the barcode.

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro said the decision to remove the signage from the livery of the F10 was made "together with Philip Morris International".

"This decision was taken in order to remove all speculation concerning the so-called 'barcode' which was never intended to be a reference to a tobacco brand," added the team.

(GMM)

Schu Admits 'More Relaxed' But Still Serious About F1

Michael Schumacher admits he is more relaxed now but denies this new attitude explains his lack of performance after returning to Formula One in 2010.

In an interview with Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung, the seven-time world champion said until his retirement in 2006 he was immersed in the "negative aspects" of Formula One.

"It absolutely wore me down," said Schumacher, who has struggled to match the pace of his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg so far this season.

He continued: "I believe people have noticed that how I was extremely dogged in the past I am now more calm, in a way that previously I was only able to be sometimes."

But as the criticism mounts, particularly after China where Schumacher struggled notably, he insists, "I have not lost any focus or my determination."

"I am still taking it seriously and am still very hard on myself. In that way nothing has changed," said the record winner of 91 grands prix.

Schumacher admits his biggest problem with today's Formula One is the tyres.

"The narrower front tyres, both for the dry and for the rain, I don't know from my past. Each driver needs to learn how they behave and so my colleagues have a head-start."

He explained that where previously he would be using practice sessions to work on fine-tuning for the race, he is now feeling uncertain on Fridays as to how the weekend will develop.

(GMM)

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