Ferrari to trial 2015 developments in the USA and Brazil

Ferrari will trial a range of 2015 solutions at the forthcoming races in Austin and Sao Paulo after identifying the exact areas in which they need to improve relative to their Formula One rivals.

The team have set "strong targets" for their development work, and will test new development parts in a bid to overcome what has been a considerable performance deficit to Mercedes this season. Ferrari have taken just two podiums over the opening 16 races and sit fourth in the constructors' championship, 387 points behind the Silver Arrows.

"After the back-to-back races in Japan and Sochi, we've had three weeks to prepare for these next back-to-backs in the (United) States and Brazil," Pat Fry, Ferrari engineering director, told the team's website.

"The extra week has given us more time to get ready and also to prepare some specific test items. They are all aimed at learning about car performance and trying to improve, but at this stage of the year, it's more with an eye to 2015.

"Certainly, our knowledge and understanding has come on a huge amount. It's also clear, comparing us to our competitors, exactly where we need to improve.

"We need to work on all areas of the car and we've set ourselves some strong targets for power unit and aerodynamic development, both of which are key. We have to reach those targets to be competitive and that is the main focus at the factory now, as it will be for the next five months."

Fry believes tyres will be the overriding factor in terms of performance in Austin.

"There's lots of high speed flowing corners in the first section with a very long straight and then quite a few low speed corners," he explained. "The overriding factor that has dominated the last two races we've had here has been the tyres and the performance of cars in Austin is really going to be down to how well we can get the tyres to work."

Ferrari have scored just 10 points over the last two Grands Prix - their worst period of the season.