Ferrari boss confirms Massa for 2012

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has said taht there is “no question” Felipe Massa will keep his seat at Ferrari in 2012.

The Brazilian already has a contract for next year, but after his disappointing 2010 season there had been rumblings in the media suggesting Mark Webber or Nico Rosberg could be drafted in to replace him.

Massa has however had a better start to 2011 and Montezemolo told CNN that the Brazilian will still be alongside Fernando Alonso next season.

“Yes. He has a contract with us for this year and for next year. So absolutely yes, no question about it,” answered the Italian.

As for Alonso, Montezemolo said he hopes to keep the Spaniard for “a long time”.

“He is one of the best drivers I have seen in my career, very strong in the mind, pushing with the team in a constructive way, very close to the team. So I want to have Alonso for a long time,” he insisted.

Source: YallaF1

Happy Birthday Felipe! Best wishes from Montezemolo, Domenicali and Alonso

Maranello, 25 April – Today is a special one for Felipe Massa as he reaches his thirtieth birthday. There have been plenty of messages sent to our site and today we have three extra special ones from President Luca di Montezemolo, Stefano Domenicali and Fernando Alonso.

Luca di Montezemolo
“Dear Felipe, I wish you all the very best for your thirtieth birthday. It’s a special day for you and also for all of us: you have been part of our family for ten years now and I know that you now live and breathe Ferrari. Your talent and your good nature mean that each and everyone of us appreciates you as a driver, but even more so as a person. Enjoy this day with your lovely family knowing that we can expect the new few weeks to be crucial for our championship chances.”

Stefano Domenicali
“Dear friend, I send you a hug of affection for your thirtieth birthday, not just from me but from all the men and women at Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro. We have known one another for such a long time and we have shared great moments together as well as some dramatic times and through them all, we have always been united, which is what makes our relationship special. When you arrived in Maranello you were a kid and while here, you have become a man: we still have a long road to travel together and we hope it will be full of well deserved success. A present? All of us are working flat out on it at Maranello, without pausing for breath: you know what I’m talking about…”

Fernando Alonso
“Hi Felipe and all my very best birthday wishes! You have got there a few months before me as, in July it will be my turn to turn thirty, so you’ll be able to tell me if it’s something special to reach this age. Joking apart, I want to tell you that I’m happy to be alongside you at Ferrari: I think we make up a good duo, respecting one another and working well together, in the knowledge that the interests of the team come before those of the individual. Now I hope we will soon a have a car good enough to see us fight for the top places, after which it will be down to the two of us to try and win.”

Source: Ferrari.com

Di Montezemolo: Ferrari is Italian

Luca di Montezemolo has denied claims that his plans to make Ferrari more Italian have backfired on the team, forcing them to look outside Italy for personnel

Following the departures of Ross Brawn and Jean Todt, Ferrari headed towards a more Italian look as the marque appointed Stefano Domenicali as team boss and filled other key roles with Italians.

And although Ferrari claimed the 2008 Constructors' Championship under his leadership, the following two campaigns saw a slump in form as well as too many strategic errors out on track.

But while Domenicali survived the chopping block after a pit wall cost Fernando Alonso the 2010 Drivers' Championship title, Ferrari have opted to fill several key roles with people from outside Italy.

Having already appointed former McLaren man Pat Fry as assistant technical director, this season will see Neil Martin take charge of the new Operations Research department.

Di Montezemolo, though, insists this is not an indication that Ferrari are moving away from their Italian ambitions.

"The interpretation is wrong," he told Telegraph Sport. "For sure in some sense we are in Italy - we are not in the silicone valley in England - so sometimes we need some specific people, very good for specific rules.

"If we have some foreign people within the team I am happy. Fresh air, new culture. This is what I want.

"But listen, we are the only team totally based in Italy. We do engine, gearbox, chassis, everything in Italy.

"The man in charge of the engines is Italian, the team manager is Italian, the chief designer is Italian. We have a very good Englishman now in charge of strategy.

"Very good. No problem. And we will continue to do this (employ foreign nationals), without exceeding."

Source: Planet-F1

'Vettel Will Drive For Ferrari One Day'

Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo reckons it is only a matter of time before Sebastian Vettel is racing for the Scuderia

Vettel, who became F1's youngest World Champion with his title triumph with Red Bull in 2010, has often been linked to Ferrari in the past.

Not only has the German admitted that racing for the Italian outfit would be "special" but now di Montezemolo has revealed he wants Vettel.

"Sebastian is fast, smart and young," he told Cologne tabloid Express. "Sooner or later he will be driving a red car."

The newspaper added that Ferrari are keen to have the German's services in 2012, teaming him up with Fernando Alonso as Felipe Massa's replacement.

Vettel, though, insists he is committed to Red Bull Racing: "I am a part of the Red Bull family."

However, even Red Bull team owner Dietrich Mateschitz admits his outfit could face a tough challenge retaining the German in the face of the "dream" of racing for Ferrari.

"It's a once in a life-time dream to drive for Ferrari but we will make leaving a difficult decision for him," said Mateschitz.

"We have so far been also quick to agree. And he wants to win."

Source: Planet-F1

No management shakeup at Ferrari - Montezemolo

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has ruled out any major personnel changes at his team for 2011 and has vowed to start the season with a competitive car.

After Fernando Alonso's chances of winning the 2010 championship were dashed by a strategic blunder at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, sections of the Italian media reported that "heads will roll" in Maranello. But Montezemolo said the management structure and technical staff will not change dramatically, with Pat Fry the only notable addition to the team after switching from McLaren midway through last season.

"We will not repeat the mistakes of the past," Montezemolo insisted during an interview with Auto Motor und Sport. "There will be a few job changes and adjustments but nothing dramatic, just the normal process of good people from the second row moving forward. With Pat Fry from McLaren, we have only brought in one man from the outside, and this happened long before Abu Dhabi."

He said Ferrari was purely focused on starting the season with a faster car than its rivals, which he believes is where the team went wrong this year.

"Even though we won the first race this year, we did not have the best car from the start, we won [in Bahrain] only because Red Bull had a problem," added Montezemolo. "We improved significantly this year compared to 2009, but - as was the case the previous year as well - Red Bull had the best car. Next time we must have the best car from the first race."

Source: ESPNF1

Massa's performance substandard - di Montezemolo

Luca di Montezemolo: "I think Felipe got a bit tired mid-season and went home, sending his brother to drive

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo believes Felipe Massa did not show up for the second half of the season, joking that he sent his brother to race instead.

Talking to Italian press over lunch, Montezemolo rated Ferrari's season and revealed that the 2011 car will be launched in the last week of January, ahead of the first pre-season test.

Asked to give a report card for Massa and Fernando Alonso, he answered: "Nine and a half to Alonso. He did not win, but [the score is] from the point of view of results, character and relationship with the team.

"Less than a seven for Felipe Massa," he added. "For some reason we have a problem with the brothers of our drivers arriving during the season. It happened with [Michael] Schumacher, [Kimi] Raikkonen and now Massa. I think Felipe got a bit tired mid-season and went home, sending his brother to drive. He gets a seven minus but he has promised to come back next year."

As for Ferrari: "Eight. You do not get full marks when you don't win, but it was an exceptional year for commitment and determination."

Asked to sum up Ferrari's 2010, he said: "We were disappointed, there's no point denying it. But, realistically, it was more bitter in 2008, when Felipe crossed the finish line as world champion. From 1997 onwards, except 2005 and 2009, we have either won or lost at the last race. The opponents - Williams, McLaren, Renault, Red Bull - always change, only Ferrari is there."

Speaking generally on Formula One, Montezemolo vowed to "fight for common sense, for races on circuits [not streets] and to have not more than 19 races, preferably 18. And to have three cars; it's better to have a third car with a competitive team than a team that cannot even do GP2. I think it's common sense and Bernie Ecclestone agrees. Who [would run the third Ferrari]? A small but competitive team."

As for the possibility of him switching from running Ferrari to Italian politics, Montezemolo insisted: "Let me do my job. I'm so glad we have many, many things to do here at Ferrari."

Source: ESPNF1

Montezemolo to the team: “We have not won anything yet”

A quick toast to celebrate coming first and third in the Korean Grand Prix and then it was back to work for everyone, to prepare in minute detail for the double header in Brazil and Abu Dhabi which will bring this long season to a close. Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo and the Scuderia’s Team Principal Stefano Domenicali put out a very clear message to the staff of the Gestione Sportiva who held their usual post-victory meeting in the Logistics pavilion: “let’s keep our feet on the ground, because we have not actually won anything yet.

“Now comes the hard part and that’s something we must bear in mind,” said Domenicali in exhorting the crew. “Over the next three weeks, we have to do everything perfectly: reliability, the work at the track and at home and preparation for the race. These are things we are well used to, but it still merits repetition. I have always said that this year, keeping a cool head is what will make the difference and we must not get carried away with the words of praise, just as we did not get downhearted by the criticism in the most difficult moments: we should leave unguarded enthusiasm at the door.”

“First of all, I want to congratulate and thank you all, because this great fight-back is down to you,” said Montezemolo. “In these last few races, we have seen Ferrari working perfectly, both at the track and at home. This is the image of the team I like to see projected to the outside world, one of a team of competent and capable people, proud to represent a winning side of Italy, which was clearly visible in the faces of those you who stood beneath the podium on Sunday. I was happy to see Fernando once again proving to be very strong and focussed, not putting a foot wrong and I was also pleased to see Felipe back on the podium, going into his home race, where I have no doubt, he will enjoy a great weekend.

“We were not useless before and we have not become genii now: we are just a team that never surrenders,” continued the President. “However, we have not actually won anything yet. I have said this to all of you before: each one of us must aim for pole in our own roles, going about our business in a level headed fashion, with concentration and determination, then we can add up the figures in Abu Dhabi.”

Source: Ferrari.com

Montezemolo: Massa needs to take points off rivals

Luca di Montezemolo has outlined Felipe Massa's duties for the remainder of the season: to take points off Fernando Alonso's rivals

With four races still be run and a 100 points to play for, Alonso is second in the Drivers' standings, 11 points behind Championship leader Mark Webber. But they are not the only two drivers in the race.

Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button all still have a shot at winning the title with Button in fifth place just 25 points off the pace.

Alonso, though, has an advantage over his title rivals as the Ferrari driver is the only man involved in the chase who can have his team-mate working for him instead of against him.

And that's exactly what Ferrari's president wants Massa to do.

"I have waited for Felipe with great perseverance in the last four races," Montezemolo told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I want a strong Massa who will shave points off the rivals. In Singapore he had some bad luck, but he is in good condition to win.

"Those who race for Ferrari don't race for themselves, but for the Ferrari team colours. One who wants to race for himself will have to face his team."

The Ferrari President also insisted that the Scuderia's decision to put their efforts behind Alonso as early as the July's German GP when they implemented team orders in the Spaniard's favour, has been justified by his run to second place in the Drivers' standings.

"First of all, the decision to focus on Alonso has been proven to be right. He is extremely strong and very close to the team, and has been able to blend in well from day one despite the concerns of some.

"The second is the spirit of determination of the team that has never been broken and disjointed, it has shown great ability to respond and fight back and knows how to win even under pressure.

"The third is to have also focused on people like (Stefano) Domenicali and (Aldo) Costa who have proven be absolutely vital."

Montezemolo pointed to Ferrari's pedigree in recent years as a sure sign that the Scuderia have what it takes to win Championships.

"I've been thinking about one thing and I invite you to do so too: from 1997, if we exclude the year 2005, we either won the Formula 1 World Championship or we lost it in the last race.

"Ferrari has always been team to beat. We won eight Constructors' World Championships in the last ten years, it was important for me to reach the highest levels in Formula 1 this year as well.

"We're second and we will contest the Championships until the very end."

Source: Planet-F1

A special driver at the Ferrari simulator

A rather special driver made his debut this afternoon on the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro simulator; none other than Luca di Montezemolo. The President of the Maranello company was doing this as part of an exclusive story that will be published in issue 10 of “The Official Ferrari Magazine,” the official magazine for Prancing Horse owners and fans. Helping him in the role of track engineer in this decidedly unusual exercise was the Scuderia’s official test driver, Marc Gené, who gave Montezemolo some tips on how to tackle a few laps of the Catalunya Circuit, one of the tracks most used by drivers in simulations.

“The Official Ferrari Magazine,” edited by Antonio Ghini is a quarterly publication, only available on subscription, which can be taken out through the relevant section at Ferrari.com.

Source: Ferrari.com

Mosley: Luca is weak and easily led

Former FIA boss Max Mosley is threatening to open old wounds after claiming Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo is a "very weak character".

Mosley and di Montezemolo's frosty relationship turned nasty last year when Ferrari threatened to quit the sport over the FIA's decision to introduce budget caps.

Motor sports governing body eventually changed their decision after long discussions with the Scuderia and other FOTA teams, but that didn't stop Di Montezemolo from referring to the then outgoing FIA president as a "dictator".

It appears it's now Mosley's turn to get in the insults and the 70-year-old didn't disappoint in the May edition of F1 Racing's 'You Ask The Questions' section.

"Luca is very, very good with people and he's certainly a very personable, pleasant person, but, in my opinion, he's also a very weak character so he's easily led," Mosley said.

The former FIA president also believes Ferrari would not be able to be as competitive as some of the other teams if they were forced to use the same budget.

"Between January and May in 2008, we had a series of meetings and everyone was agreed on the cost-cap and the methodology - but Ferrari were always against it," he said. "I think it's because they know that if they had the same amount of money to spend as the other teams, they would fail."

Source: Planet-F1

Montezemolo steps down at Fiat, wants Rossi in F1

Luca di Montezemolo has stepped down as chairman of the Italian carmaker Fiat.

He will, however, remain president of Ferrari, with 34-year-old John Elkann - a descendant of the founding Agnelli family - replacing him at Fiat because Montezemolo has "finished the task" he began in 2004.

Montezemolo, 62, denied the move is a precursor to moving into Italian politics or even founding his own party, insisting he is staying on the Fiat board and will not stop heading Ferrari.

On the same day, Montezemolo announced that he still wants "major teams" such as Ferrari "and McLaren" to be allowed to enter third cars in grands prix.

"We want a third car and I would do everything to have Valentino (Rossi)," he told reporters.
"When he wins this year's MotoGP, enough is enough, he must also win in Formula One," the Ferrari chairman and president added.

Source: Motorsport.com