With six races to go and only 11 points separating Michael Schumacher from the top of the standings, Ferrari clearly believes the 2006 championship title is there for the taking.
Sunday's win at Hockenheim was Schumacher's third straight victory, and his fifth this year. Championship leader Fernando Alonso has won one more race but on recent form the German looks stronger.
After struggling to keep up with Renault's Spanish star in the early part of the season, Schumacher has straightened out the kinks that were slowing his car down and now looks as in control as he ever has.
"We got there at just the right time. We now have an advantage and it could last for two or three races," the German said on Monday, referring to the superior lap times of the two Ferraris at Hockenheim.
Buoyed by Sunday's result, team chief Jean Todt remained cautious but could not help noting that Ferrari had outperformed Renault since the San Marino Grand Prix, the fourth race of the season.
"Since Imola we have scored more points than anyone, both in the drivers' standings and the constructors," he said.
Alonso, who came fifth at the weekend, has scored 72 points in the last eight races, while Schumacher has notched up 78.
Todt admitted that the contribution of tire-maker Bridgestone had been crucial in bringing the Italian team back into contention.
Schumacher has clawed back 14 of the 25 points that separated him from Alonso a month ago. To make up the remainder will be far from easy given that the Spaniard always picks up points, even when he fails to win. If the German were to win all of the remaining six races and Alonso came second each time, the German would take the title. If the Renault driver crashed out of a race, or failed to score points, Schumacher's task would become much easier.
Ferrari fans and many media pundits are convinced that Schumacher is capable of staging what would be a remarkable recovery by any standards.
'Catching Up Is Possible', said the Gazzetta dello Sport daily in the headline to a editorial assessing the Ferrari ace's chances.
The paper listed factors that it said were working in Schumacher's favour. Among them were the strong form of McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, who could take points away from Alonso, and the recent improvements in Bridgestone's tires. Many analysts have also noted the importance of
Schumacher's Brazilian team-mate at Ferrari, Felipe Massa. By coming second behind the German on Sunday, he showed how he could act as a protective wall between Schumacher and his pursuers and make sure they scored fewer points.
Currently third in the standings, Massa could also prove the decisive factor in Ferrari's bid to take back the constructor's title which it lost to Renault last year after winning it every year since 1999.
Ferrari currently trails Renault by 10 points in the constructor's standings.
Todt stressed that the Italian team would not be standing idle as Renault looked for ways to squeeze more speed out of their cars.
"We too have some developments and improvements to introduce," he said.
In any case, little is likely to change in coming weeks because a freeze on car testing has now kicked in and will not be lifted until August 27.
That gives Ferrari two races - the Hungarian Grand Prix on August 6 and the Turkish Grand Prix on August 27 - to capitalise on its present dominance.
