The Ferrari team have confirmed that the planned ostentatious launch of their new F1 car has been cancelled due to poor weather conditions in Maranello, with the team set to simply releasing pictures of the car online instead.
Maranello has suffered heavy snowfall throughout the week, which has left Ferrari's Fiorano test track blanketed in several inches of snow.
On Wednesday, the team confirmed that they would likely have to postpone a planned shakedown run of their new car following the launch if the weather did not improve.
And the team went one step further on Thursday, confirming that their launch event had been cancelled entirely.
"There was no let up from the snow last night, which continued to fall on Maranello and the surrounding area and the situation does not appear to be changing this morning," the team explained on their official website.
The statement explained that the cancellation was down to the likelihood of travel issues for those set to attend.
"The forecast is still bad both in terms of predictions of more snow fall and of a further drop in temperature," they lamented.
"Therefore, the decision has been taken to cancel the presentation ceremony for the new car, which was to have taken place at 10.30 tomorrow."
The stateemnt added: "The decision was taken because of the weather conditions and because of the difficulties that would have faced the 300 or so people due to attend from the team partners, the authorities and representatives of the media in their attempts to get to Maranello."
Instead of a showy launch ceremony for the new car, the team confirmed that they would post pictures and a technical analysis of the car on their website on Friday.
Ferrari will debut their as yet unnamed 2012 car at next week's pre-season test in Jerez, with Felipe Massa set to drive the car for the first two days.
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