In the round-up: Luca di Montezemolo hits back at Sergio Marchionne following his replacement as Ferrari president.
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Whatever you’re celebrating, I wish you all the best for the season and a very happy 2015!
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Montezemolo hits back at Marchionne (ESPN)
“Dear Marchionne, I don’t intend to give in to provocation, but my work and what I won on the track and on the markets with Ferrari deserve respect.”
Grosjean says Renault ‘messed up’
“They will improve. They have always been able to make good engines. They messed up this year.”
Tweets
Quality time with my family. Merry Xmas to all my followers 🎅🎅👍👍 #ME9 http://t.co/FQZql9ceId
— Marcus Ericsson (@Ericsson_Marcus) December 24, 2014
‘Twas the night before Christmas… All quiet at MTC as we clock off for the festive season. Happy Christmas, folks. pic.twitter.com/u3WaTs3lS7
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) December 24, 2014
Merry Christmas to everyone , hope you are enjoying & having a good time !
— Daniil Kvyat (@Dany_Kvyat) December 24, 2014
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Comment of the day
How hard is it to spot a future champion – and how many are there on the grid today?
I haven’t met anybody (and I doubt I ever will) who witnessed the 1990 United States Grand Prix and, at that time, wasn’t feeling absolutely certain Jean Alesi would be a future (multiple) champion. And there was hardly anybody nearly as impressive in his first full season since, maybe Vettel being a sole exception.
However, given the right car and the right team mate, there aren’t many drivers on the grid that couldn’t become a championship winner, if any.
Sven (@Crammond)
From the forum
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On this day in F1
Giancarlo Baghetti, who sensationally won his debut world championship grand prix, was born 80 years ago today. He never repeated his victory, and sadly succumbed to cancer in 1995.
thetobs (@thetobs)
25th December 2014, 0:03
Merry Christmas everyone!
Blackmamba (@blackmamba)
25th December 2014, 1:35
I hate Christmas! Spending time with people I haven’t seen for a whole year and try to make nice, eek!
sato113 (@sato113)
25th December 2014, 2:47
scrooge
sato113 (@sato113)
25th December 2014, 2:46
merry christmas ALL!
Nathan (@il-ferrarista)
25th December 2014, 13:20
Merry Christmas All of you! =)
tmax (@tmax)
25th December 2014, 0:41
Big Luca should have waited for some more time and let the results speak for themselves.
I am sure the results would be bad like the last couple of years !!!!
Kingshark (@kingshark)
25th December 2014, 14:10
Luca was a big part of building the Ferrari dream team in the late 90s which lead to the domination in the 2000s.
tmax (@tmax)
25th December 2014, 0:43
Merry Christmas to the F1 Fanatics and @KeithCollantine
photozen (@photozen)
25th December 2014, 0:57
Merry Christmas, Joyeuses Fêtes !
To everyone on the forum and Keith !
McL88AsAp (@deongunner)
25th December 2014, 1:01
Double negative words became positive meaning isn’t it?? English is not my first language so apologise if I’m wrong interprate it. Anyway Merry Christmas to all F1F !!
Mike (@mike)
25th December 2014, 2:43
That is correct. It is not particularly good English technically. But it’s often done.
So it is the same as saying, -> there are many drivers on the grid that could become a championship winner.
Kingshark (@kingshark)
25th December 2014, 14:15
Imagine being given a car as dominant as the WO5, F2002, FW14B, or MP4/4 with Max Chilton as your teammate; just about everyone on the grid would be able to win a WDC in such circumstances. That doesn’t suddenly make them a great driver.
pH (@ph)
25th December 2014, 18:43
I actually feel a difference. When I hear “there are many” I imagine that there is a noticeable number of possible champions (more than a quarter?) but there is no necessary upper limit, so it may well be about a half. But when I hear “there aren’t many”, I feel that it says that most people are possible champions, that there are only a few exceptions. But English is my third language, can some English native give his/her take on this?
GongTong (@gongtong)
26th December 2014, 14:49
This is how I hear it too @ph. And I am a native English speaker.
Blackmamba (@blackmamba)
25th December 2014, 1:31
Vettel, rather than being the sole exception, has just proved during the course of this season that anyone on the grid can win with the right car and the right team mate. So rather than being an exception he is an example of the philosophy.
David-A (@david-a)
25th December 2014, 1:59
Wasn’t the COTD referring to “his first full season”, which was 2008? And that was impressive.
Of course, Schumacher & Hamilton are other examples since of drivers who had very impressive debut seasons in the sport that made it clear they were “future champions”.
Robbie (@robbie)
25th December 2014, 4:28
As did JV…nearly won the WDC on his first year.
Sven (@crammond)
25th December 2014, 9:45
Hamilton and JV had the best car on the grid in their first seasons, so not underperforming isn´t the same as impressively overperforming in a midfield/backmarker-team. JV even had the pleasure of a rather weak teammate, while Hamilton in cooperation with his teammate managed to prevent his own team to win a championship it certainly should have won engineering-wise.
Schumacher´s first full year (1992) was astounding, but I wasn´t sure wether it would bring him that far. But then again, in 1992 I was still expecting Senna to go for another decade or so, and I was expecting to see Alesi come good, both didn´t happen. At least Schumacher, as opposed to Ham & JV, had a constant few tenths over his teammate, which is a neccessary thing to really impress. One thing that may have prevented me being too impressed with Schumi back then was that I already knew and disliked him from F3-days on (not to mention his notorious DTM-guest start).
krtekf1 (@krtekf1)
25th December 2014, 13:05
What did make you to dislike MSC from F3 days and DTM? Maybe because of Macau race 1990?
Tomas Andersson (@celebmir)
25th December 2014, 1:39
Merry Christmas all, looking forward to next year and a new season.
David-A (@david-a)
25th December 2014, 2:01
Merry Christmas F1F!
OmarR-Pepper (@)
25th December 2014, 3:33
Feliz Navidad!!!
Robbie (@robbie)
25th December 2014, 4:30
Merry Christmas Everyone!
mickey18 (@mickey18)
25th December 2014, 5:04
Merry Christmas from Albert Park! (Well 10 minute drive away) hope your all having a great day, I am.
Pete (@petey84)
25th December 2014, 5:53
Happy Holidays all! Keep up the good work Keith & Co
neddle0 (@neddle0)
25th December 2014, 8:33
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd
Sven (@crammond)
25th December 2014, 9:10
COTD, I´m feeling honoured :)
Happy winter-solstice inspired celebrations to everyone!
ColdFly F1 (@)
25th December 2014, 11:29
+1, plus all the best to all of us in the southern hemisphere.
nidzovski (@nidzovski)
25th December 2014, 9:58
Now there is a great picture for captation.
Marchionne: We would like to thank Mr.Montezemolo as he was….
Montezemolo: Stop it or I will break your arm or something..
Merry Xmas everyone :)
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
25th December 2014, 10:04
Happy Christmas to all.
HK (@me4me)
25th December 2014, 11:38
Merry Christmas everyone!
lockup (@)
25th December 2014, 11:51
Happy Christmas everyone :)
Why did Marchionne pick a quarrel with Monte? That was unnecessary, and can only rile Monte’s allies in the team when they need cooperation and harmony. Looks like it could be a Happy New Year for all the other teams IMO, I reckon Seb could find himself battling with Hulk, quite easily.
anon
25th December 2014, 16:42
Well, Marchionne’s actions towards Luca have indicated a general attitude of contempt – the way that Luca was treated when he left Ferrari does underline that.
When Luca gave his farewell speech at Maranello, some of the journalists present noted that Marchionne, although present, acted extremely rudely during Luca’s speech. He was reported as constantly fiddling with his smartphone, chatting with the assistant next to him, writing reports and generally making clear that he was not listening or cared about what Luca was saying and generally acting as if he thought the whole event was a waste of time and he didn’t want to be there.
Joao (@johnmilk)
25th December 2014, 12:54
Feliz Natal from Portugal and to all a fantastic 2015 season
Brian Frank (@brianfrank302)
25th December 2014, 13:08
Merry Christmas everyone !
Eric (@fletch)
25th December 2014, 14:20
Merry Christmas all!
Monosodico (@monosodico)
25th December 2014, 16:28
Feliz Navidad to everyone! best wishes
montreal95 (@montreal95)
25th December 2014, 18:27
@Crammond Great COTD. But you forgot Montoya. When he arrived I was sure he’d be a multiple champ and so were most people. Actually I was sure of that since 1998 when I first saw him in F3000
It all goes to prove one thing: a top level champion’s make or break is in his head. Of course luck plays a part but you have to have the right mentality and the right set of other mental skills to make that final step and be consistently at the top
I am, was and forever will be an Alesi fan first and foremost irrespective of the time that has passed since his retirement. But results-wise he was his own worst enemy sometimes, off track most of all. Same goes for Montoya
To maximize your talent is key. Vettel maximized his. Alesi and Montoya wasted theirs
SauberS1 (@saubers1)
26th December 2014, 0:48
Montezemolo had a good decision this answer.
Paul2013
26th December 2014, 18:21
Luca is right, even if Ferrari wants a change (and must change) he deserves some respect.