Ferrari will be there or thereabouts when it comes to being one of the leading cars Melbourne, but they won't be too surprised or downbeat if they are not setting the pace.
That's the verdict from team principal Stefano Domenicali with two pre-season tests out of the way and the start of the new season less than a month away.
Felipe Massa topped the timesheets once in Jerez while Fernando Alonso hit the front on day three in Barcelona. The Spaniard also completed the most laps at the Circuit de Catalunya and his best time was the second fastest over the four days.
Both drivers have also expressed their delight with the F138 and believe they are in much better shape this year than they were at the start of the 2012 campaign.
Domenicali is also upbeat about their chances ahead of the season-opening Australian GP and feels they will be close to challenging for honours.
"The situation at the moment seems to be alright - alright with the problems we have," the Italian told Press Association Sport.
"We will soon know the exact situation, although not in Melbourne because that is only the first race.
"But my view, the target, is to be close to the leading car. I will be surprised if we are the leading car because with the stable rules we were not the quickest at the end (of last season).
"But if we are close together, within a couple of tenths (of a second), then with such a long season anything is possible.
"We need to make sure we are close to the best car, and then the team and the driver has to make the difference."
Asked at the MotorSport magazine Hall of Fame Awards in London if he was happier approaching the start of this season than last, he replied: "Another world! That's why I'm here."
He added: "It is a totally different situation.
"Everyone is doing a big job, a good job, and as far as we can tell from the tests, I don't see a lot of changes from the fighting we saw at the end of last season."
