Ross Brawn expects great things from the new Ferrari

The modified version of last year's car that they have used so far this season has not been as fast as rivals Renault.

But Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn said the 2005 car, which could race as early as the Bahrain Grand Prix in two weeks' time, is much faster.

"It will be between 0.5 and a second faster than the current car," he said.

Teams accuse Ferrari over testing

Test driver Luca Badoer has given the new F2005 machine glowing reports following its launch at the end of February.

But Brawn said it would not be used competitively until Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello are entirely satisfied with it, and the team were confident in its reliability.

The old car may be an old lady, but she is still looking pretty good and pretty fast to me Michael Schumacher

Brawn also said that Ferrari's performance at this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix would have a bearing on when the new car was put into action.

"We have an option to bring it to Bahrain but a lot will depend on this weekend and a lot on next week which is the first week the racing drivers will get to drive the car," Brawn said.

"If we lose the race and feel the difference could have been made up by the car then it could accelerate the introduction of the car."

But Schumacher has clearly not lost faith in the car that powered him to a seventh world title last season.

"The old car may be an old lady, but she is still looking pretty good and pretty fast to me," said the German.

Renault team boss Flavio Briatore said he hoped Ferrari would introduce the new car in Bahrain.

"In this job, whenever you do it with no rationality it is trouble," Briatore said.