Coming second “a tragedy” for Ferrari – Montezemolo

2014 F1 season

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Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has urged his team to return to winning ways this year, describing it as a “tragedy” for thm to finish second.

“Ferrari is the only team in the world for whom coming second is described as a tragedy and everything that has been won and all the record breaking is forgotten,” said Montezemolo at the opening of the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena.

The team’s last championship success came in 2008 when they won the constructors’ title, while Felipe Massa finished runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ championship.

Since then Ferrari has finished second in the constructors’ championship once, in 2012, while Fernando Alonso placed second in the drivers’ championship three times, including the last two years.

“Of course, we want to win this year,” Montezemolo added.

“It seems to me the first test threw up nothing negative and allows us to have high hopes in what will be a very difficult year because of the new turbo engine system and the new electronic technologies, when reliability in the first races will be essential.”

Montezemolo also added his encouragement to former driver Michael Schumacher, who remains in a coma following his skiing accident at the end of last year.

“Forza Michael, you have to give it your all and win this time, just as you have done so many times before,” said Montezemolo.

“For us, Michael is the driver who has given us the most in terms of this company’s results. He was and still is a great friend, someone who in eleven years always gave his utmost for Ferrari.”

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Image © Ferrari/Ercole Colombo

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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16 comments on “Coming second “a tragedy” for Ferrari – Montezemolo”

  1. ““Of course, we want to win this year,” Montezemolo added.”

    Then you’ll just have to go out there and do a better job than all the other teams…

    1. no kidding, Ferrari wan’t to win, what a surprise. As you say @geemac, with all the resources they have and the driver pairing they should just put their efforts where Monti’s mouth is and win it. I am completely sure we have heard the same in at least the last 3 years, getting boring.

  2. Seems like I´ve heard this one before…. I just hope this time it works out for the scuderia!

  3. He seems to have a very short memory. He was around when Ferrari spent 21 years finishing (mostly) lower than that.

  4. The tragedy would be bigger if Felipe Massa manages to win the WDC for Williams…

    1. I highly doubt he will although I do hope Williams make it back up the grid!!

    2. great one :)

    3. For Ferrari it would be, but honestly it would be great for the sport!

  5. I first read the headline as ‘second coming a tragedy for ferrari’ and wondered if he was talking about Vettel.

  6. I don’t think this kind of attitude that’s constant in Ferrari does their image much good. It does for their fans, but Ferrari isn’t José Mourinho, and even Mourinho had to handle the backfire from his own attitude. Ferrari isn’t entitled to anything in F1, or shouldn’t be (cause they apparently are) and they need to drop this “it’s a tragedy that we aren’t winning! oh noes!” shenanigans and take it in the shin and admit that they’ve been crap.

    Apart from, maybe, the Schumacher years, Ferrari has always resorted to throwing money at F1 and hoping to win. That won’t work for much longer, thankfully, and hopefully it won’t this year either, cause I don’t think it’s right for this cockiness to be rewarded. If you win, Ferrari, you win. If you lose, you lose, and that’s it. It’s not a tragedy, it’s a victory for the teams that’re in front of you.

    1. David not Coulthard (@)
      19th February 2014, 12:58

      Ferrari isn’t entitled to anything in F1, or shouldn’t be (cause they apparently are) and they need to drop this “it’s a tragedy that we aren’t winning! oh noes!”

      I’d rather say that Luca simply isn’t as good as the best motivators out there – and I think he thought he was…..

  7. I guess when you get more weight on the board, and extra money from F1 just because of who you are, then it is ‘tragic’ when you squander that. I also find it tragic that BE brought in double points to ‘help Ferrari’. So yeah, I guess it will be tragic if Ferrari doesn’t win and it will have turned out that we didn’t need double points after all. I wonder what the consequences of such a tragedy will be? Probably something along the lines of them living to fight another day as usual, but with rule changes that further favour Ferrari for 2015.

  8. It is easy to be cynical about Luca Di Montezemolo’s words. But when you read them, try and take into consideration his personality, his….Italian-ness (?). He is not saying that Ferrari are entitled to anything, it’s his turn of phrase expressed with Italiany(?) exuberent passion.

    As for the cynics, Firstly I am a long time Ferrari fan but even longer time fan of F1 to be clear. But to honestly try and lay the blame at Ferrari’s door for the Double Points nonsense is…well nonsense. None of the other teams seem to have objected when Bernie slipped it into being. And whilst it would of course pain Ferrari if they didn’t win again next year, I am sure deep down most Ferrari fans would actually feel a little glow inside if it were Felipe who won the championship. Yes Ferrari went 21 years without a championship, but lets not forget, that McLaren hasn’t won a constructors since 1998! We’ve all felt the pain of Redbulls dominance and now is as good a time as any with the regulation changes. Oh yes, Ferrari have a big budget….and? it’s not the biggest! and lets be fair, they are an engine manufacturer as well.

    I don’t want Ferrari to dominate. I just want them to be competitive, and let it be the drivers that make the difference. With their line-up, who knows? The car looks alright in testing so far. Slowly slowly catchy monkey I say. Either way, I can’t wait for the season to start!

    1. Firstly I am a long time Ferrari fan

      Nice to meet you bro !!!!

  9. what about third? :)

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