Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo believes the Italian Grand Prix at Monza will always be part of Formula One.
“Monza is one of the races that will never be missing from the F1 calendar,” Montezemolo told Ferrari’s website.
“A track with four corners and three chicanes may seem old-fashioned to some but the same argument applies as at Monte Carlo: both are essential sides to our sport, one for the glamour that surrounds the race, the other for the emotion that only comes from raw speed.”
Montezemolo, like team founder Enzo Ferrari before his death, says he is less likely to attend races in person these says: “Now I don’t often go to Grands Prix, especially the Sundays: it’s too hard, I prefer to watch on television alone at my house,” he said.
“But I try never to miss Saturday qualifying at Monza: I like to see my team at work up close and also to cast an eye over the opponents. I also like the contact with our fans.”
Among his choice moments from recent Italian Grand Prix history Montezemolo picked “2006, when Michael [Schumacher] again took a wonderful win on the very day he announced his retirement from racing.”
“The real one,” Montezemolo added, referring to Schumacher second’s retirement last year, “because in my view after that a twin I do not recognise was racing…”
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Image © Ferrari/Ercole Colombo
Fixy (@)
4th September 2013, 16:40
Nice way to treat your best driver in history! But funny nonetheless :P
Sankalp Sharma (@sankalp88)
4th September 2013, 17:18
@fixy
Needlessly rude I would agree. But in a way true as well. I’m a huge Schumi fan, but his tenure with Merc was a colossal disappointment. I realize that the car was obviously not as good as it is now, but it was Michael’s tendency to bin it without cause more than lack of speed, which was bothering me. The hallmark of Schumacher’s brilliance was consistency even in deep adversity (be it a bad car or bad weather or bad luck or whatever!). He just couldn’t recreate the old magic!
Well off-topic comment over!
Max Jacobson (@vettel1)
4th September 2013, 22:11
@snakalp88 the 2010+ Schumi was a shadow of his former self though. In the 90’s he was nothing short of utterly brilliant – I’d definitely have him in my top 5 drivers, very possibly my top 3!
Max Jacobson (@vettel1)
4th September 2013, 23:53
@sankalp88
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
5th September 2013, 23:54
after Ayrton and the professor?
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
4th September 2013, 17:37
@fixy
Shumacher is the most successful driver Ferrari has had, Ferrari at that time is the dream team that any driver that has lived on earth would die to drive for them as simple as that .
I ‘m not trying to dismiss Michael’s achievements with Ferrari but some people are trying to convince themselves that Shumacher who i respect because he married the Ferrari project to rebuild the team in 1996 when he could stayed at Benetton or moved to Williams & won more championships has done everything alone and has given everything to the team & Ferrari didn’t give him anything which is absolutely false
Luca has the luxury to criticize Michael because he is the man that made him the monster he was i’m not talking about his driving but i’m referring to the treatment he was given during his 10 years within the team which he deserves absolutely but even Senna himself has never received a treatment like that
Nice way to treat your best driver in history!
Fixy (@)
5th September 2013, 11:42
@tifoso1989 I’m sure it’s both down to Ferrari and Schumacher for their glorious period in the early 2000s. But Schumacher doesn’t criticise Montezemolo, or Domenicali, or anyone else in the team!
Colossal Squid (@colossal-squid)
4th September 2013, 16:43
Regarding his comments about Monza I completely agree with Luca di Montezemolo (rare that he ever says anything remotely close to common sense!).
F1 needs historic tracks like Monza, Monaco and Silverstone on the calendar, they provide unique settings and challenges to modern F1 cars not found on the modern tracks. They also keep F1 rooted in its rich history, something that’s very important to the sport’s identity. It is for these reasons why I abhor the idea of replacing the races in Britain and Italy with soulless processions around the streets of London or Rome. Losing any of these historic tracks would mean a lot more than merely losing a few miles of tarmac from the calendar, it would mean losing a lot of the character of the sport itself.
Gubstar
4th September 2013, 16:48
Dont forget SPA!!!!!!
The tracks that should always be on the calender:
Silverstone
Monza
Monaco
Spa
Montreal
Nurburgring
Colossal Squid (@colossal-squid)
4th September 2013, 16:52
Absolutely. Good list, in my preference I’d replace Nurburgring with Suzuka. These tracks should always remain on the calendar.
Deej92 (@deej92)
4th September 2013, 17:10
Agreed but I’d also add Interlagos to that list.
Guilherme (@guilherme)
4th September 2013, 17:12
Show some love for Interlagos…
Colossal Squid (@colossal-squid)
4th September 2013, 20:38
Yep, I’m ashamed for forgetting that one. Definitely a track that should be retained, with the layout preserved as is, it’s a fantastic track!
Dom Dum (@visof)
4th September 2013, 17:29
I agree but like Deej92 said, you should had interlagos to that list.
David-A (@david-a)
4th September 2013, 18:04
You forgot Suzuka and Albert Park. To be fair to Tilke, Sepang and Austin are modern day greats as well.
Nick.UK (@)
4th September 2013, 18:26
Agreed. Sepang is probably my favourite track on the calendar.
LotsOfControl (@for-unlawful-carnal-knowledge)
4th September 2013, 18:55
I don’t like Albert Park I miss Adelaide.
Max Jacobson (@vettel1)
4th September 2013, 17:00
I love Monza also, but it’d be far better if it didn’t have that stupid chicane before Curva Grande. Keith posted a link to a video of the R18’s taking Curva Grande flat-out by going past the chicane and it looked so much more epic!
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
4th September 2013, 17:14
I agree but i think that with today’s cars & safety regulations it is impossible to remove that chicane because the average speed (which is the highest one on the calendar if i’m not wrong ) will increase by let’s say something like 15/20 mph, thinking of an accident at that speed is absolutely terrifying
Max Jacobson (@vettel1)
4th September 2013, 18:21
@tifoso1989 the speeds wouldn’t increase drastically: they could afford to run a bit less downforce absolutely and the laptimes would decrease drastically but a crash at the exit of Curva Grande as has nearly happened twice in the last two years wouldn’t really change much IMO – I’d still expect it to be easily flat in the dry. The gravel trap may be an issue though and absolutely you are right it is unlikely to ever happen :(
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
4th September 2013, 18:29
The teams set the cars with the least possible amount of downforce except if there is a chance of rain, but in the past years there were some exceptions with Alonso & Button running the f-duct in 2010 & Vettel using high downforce set up with the EBD in 2011
melkurion (@melkurion)
4th September 2013, 22:39
@Keithcollantine
MIght it not be a ggod idea to hold a poll like we had a few years ago, that time we decided to find the best champion by facing them off against each other.
This time we could vote cirquits against one another an come up with the ultimate 20 race calender as we the fans see it.
I think it would be AWESOME!
Mike (@mike)
5th September 2013, 4:36
Yeah I kinda like that idea! :D
fangio85 (@fangio85)
5th September 2013, 8:18
That is a very good idea
BMWF1 (@)
4th September 2013, 17:46
I sure hope so, Luca. I sure hope so.
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
4th September 2013, 17:57
Some hot news: the Italian media are reporting now that the Italian GP may not be held because of the risk of a potential strike made by the circuit’s marshals
The cause of the strike is that the marshals were not paid for their work in last year’s GP, i know that the circuit’s administration (or any other party that have business in the Italian GP: the government, Ferrari them selves Pirelli …… ) will reach a compromise with the marshals today or tomorrow otherwise it will be a national disgrace for Italy but the question is why the marshals has been left unpaid during the whole year ?? Don’t tell me please about the financial crises !!!!
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
4th September 2013, 18:07
@tifoso1989 Really? If that’s true, that would be a disaster! Do you have a link?
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
4th September 2013, 18:15
AutoSprint and Tuttosport
luffehamp
4th September 2013, 21:19
Italian Marshalls get paid? Most Marshalls are volunteers at other tracks.
Doesn’t Monza also have a rediculously low fee compared to what other tracks pay to host? That would make sense why it’ll always be on the calendar.
Dave (@)
4th September 2013, 18:19
Don’t know how it works in Italy, but British marshals don’t get paid – it’s all voluntary
MNM101 (@mnm101)
4th September 2013, 21:32
Aren’t marshals volunteers ?
hunocsi (@hunocsi)
5th September 2013, 0:02
As far as I know they are, everywhere on every level.
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
4th September 2013, 18:06
For a moment, I read Monza as ‘Massa’….:P
Matt Clark (@mattc888)
4th September 2013, 18:23
@wsrgo Hahaha that happened to me too ;)
Michael Brown (@)
5th September 2013, 0:23
I got Montezemolo will always be a part of F1 – Monza
Mike (@mike)
5th September 2013, 4:48
Like all the other great circuits that are no longer with us right?
This has been said before. I think it’s just posturing.
medman (@medman)
6th September 2013, 15:51
Monza, Spa, Silverstone, and Monaco should never leave the F1 schedule.