Ferrari launched 2012 car

Ferrari has launched its new car - the F2012 - via an online presentation from its base in Maranello.

The 2012 car is visually different from last year's car and the new McLaren MP4-27 in that it features an aggressive Caterham-style stepped nose. The car also has heavily sculpted sidepods and a double air-intake like the 2011 McLaren. Ferrari will hope that the ban on off-throttle blown diffusers will mean that the car is more competitive than in 2011, when the team only won one grand prix. Felipe Massa said that he hoped the risks taken in the car's design would help the team be successful.

"It really looks very aggressive," Massa said. "This is something that was part of my dreams ... I really trust the team and the new car."

The team was forced to cancel the official launch ceremony for the car at Maranello due to the weather, with heavy snow across much of Europe. As a result it is also unable to shake the car down at its Fiorano test track.

ESPNF1