Luca stickin' it to the FIA...

[gloomyDAY]

http://www.enriquedans.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/thumbup.jpg

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72576

Wow! Almost exactly what we have been saying here on the forums.

KERS does not belong in F1 (right Taz?) & tracks like Singapore are a farce.

Almost makes me want to be a Ferrari fan.

[yodasarmpit]

Sounds more like Mr di Montezemolo is sweating a bit, that Ferrari won't have their system ready in time for the new season.

[Knock-on]

He makes some fair points.

If Ferrari with the amount of money they have at their disposal are struggling, then how will the other front-runners without the additional resources made available to Maranello fare?

[cosmicpanda]

Well, reading all the "Ferrari struggling with KERS" etc stories that appear in the sidebar, I can't say I'm surprised that Luca doesn't like it at the moment.

BMW, on the other hand, seems quite happy...

Not sure I have much sympathy for Luca on this one.

The introduction of KERS, like any regulation changes, is an engineering challenge, which is supposed to be what F1 is.

It's the same for every team, and undoubtedly not every team will get it right or be fully up-to-speed at the start.

But that is always the case. After all, the British garagistas were caught out by the regulation changes in 1961.

For the life of me, I can't recall which team benefitted from being up-to-speed with a car perfectly suited to the new regulations....

...but I do remember that it was based at Maranello.

[Jag_Warrior]

His thoughts on KERS aside, I agree with di Montezemolo 100% on the types of courses that need to be added... and excluded. The core value of Formula One needs to be the quality of the racing, IMO.

[gloomyDAY]

I for one think that KERS is a system that needs more time in order to be introduced into F1.


His thoughts on KERS aside, I agree with di Montezemolo 100% on the types of courses that need to be added... and excluded. The core value of Formula One needs to be the quality of the racing, IMO.Bingo!

I'm glad someone read the article.

[ShiftingGears]

I like Monaco. It's a track that was originally raced at because of the driver challenge it offers.

I agree with Luca about Singapore. I don't agree with him about KERS, as it's the same for everyone. I suspect that he wouldn't be mouthing off about it if Ferrari had their KERS working.

[aryan]

He doesn't want it this year, but he thinks KERS is ok for 2012?

And then he says things shouldn't happen over night, and that they should happen year after year.

Well, yes, exactly Mr. di Montezemolo. F1's change to more energy efficency should be gradual. That's why KERS needs to happen now, and other things should follow year after year.

Does it cost a lot to develop KERS? Yes, you bet. But it's cost well spent on the direction the sport should take, not on tyre warmers and fuel hose.

KERS's time has come, and if anything, it is overdue for F1 to take a step in the direction of more fuel efficiency. di Montezemolo just sounds like he's not happy with how Ferrari's KERS is shaping.

On Singapore, I agree with him.

[Dave B]

Allow me to translate Luca's words.

"We don't think KERS should be introduced until we've got it working properly, in case other teams gain an advantage on us."

[Dr. Krogshöj]

I wonder of his constant criticism towards Singapore has anything to do with the fact that Ferrari scored no points in that race. I think Singapore was challenging for the drivers and spectacular for the spectators, and even offered some overtaking. Tracks should be judged individually, without generalizing. Yes, some street courses suck, as do some road courses.

Valencia, on the other hand, was sterile, dusty and the environment was uninspiring to say the least. (That said, I didn't fall asleep any sooner than I did during the Barcelona race.) However, Mr di Montezemolo never criticizes Valencia. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that Felipe Massa won that race. Hypocrisy 101.

As for the title of the thread, how is he stickin' it to the FIA? He actually calls for rule changes to encourage overtaking. And that's exactly what the FIA has done by adapting the aerodynamic rules drawn up by Rory Byrne, Pat Symonds and Paddy Lowe. Voila!

Another thing that could help overtaking is the KERS which would provide 80 HP for the duration of six seconds each lap. So following his own logic, Mr di Montezemolo should be praising it. Instead, he is bashing it. Oh, Ferrari is struggling with KERS and McLaren and BMW are not? What a coincidence. That guy is full of hypocrisy.

[ioan]

I wonder of his constant criticism towards Singapore has anything to do with the fact that Ferrari scored no points in that race. I think Singapore was challenging for the drivers and spectacular for the spectators, and even offered some overtaking. Tracks should be judged individually, without generalizing. Yes, some street courses suck, as do some road courses.

Valencia, on the other hand, was sterile, dusty and the environment was uninspiring to say the least. (That said, I didn't fall asleep any sooner than I did during the Barcelona race.) However, Mr di Montezemolo never criticizes Valencia. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that Felipe Massa won that race. Hypocrisy 101.

As for the title of the thread, how is he stickin' it to the FIA? He actually calls for rule changes to encourage overtaking. And that's exactly what the FIA has done by adapting the aerodynamic rules drawn up by Rory Byrne, Pat Symonds and Paddy Lowe. Voila!

Another thing that could help overtaking is the KERS which would provide 80 HP for the duration of six seconds each lap. So following his own logic, Mr di Montezemolo should be praising it. Instead, he is bashing it. Oh, Ferrari is struggling with KERS and McLaren and BMW are not? What a coincidence. That guy is full of hypocrisy.

Montezemolo did criticize Valencia too, so get your facts right and keep the fiction for you.

[ioan]

BTW I don't agree with him about KERS, if they can't get it right than they better build a damn good car without it.

[philipbain]

I think Luca may come to regret his recent exchanges with Bernie and the FIA, we'll see if Ferrari will get slightly less preferencial treatment in the future, as Bernie said, Ferrari have been treated in a more leanient manner then the other teams, both from a sporting and fiscal perspective, with Ferrari's current stance to side with FOTA against the FIA it could eliminate much of this elevated status, resulting in teams being treated more equally which is good news for the sport, as the playing field will be much more level but bad news for Ferrari, no more mid-season rule clarifications in thier favour, things like that!!

[ArrowsFA1]

I think Luca may come to regret his recent exchanges with Bernie and the FIA...
Interesting times. On the one hand we have the old guard - Max 'n' Bernie - who have run F1 between them for some time; and on the other we have FOTA currently headed by Luca. It's all very different to the FISA/FOCA days :crazy:

Who will ultimately have the upper hand :?:

[71minus2]

Montezemolo did criticize Valencia too, so get your facts right and keep the fiction for you.

Yes he did but no to the same levels as Singapore where they were the clowns and could have caused an injury to many pit members.

[ioan]

I think Luca may come to regret his recent exchanges with Bernie and the FIA, we'll see if Ferrari will get slightly less preferencial treatment in the future, as Bernie said, Ferrari have been treated in a more leanient manner then the other teams, both from a sporting and fiscal perspective, with Ferrari's current stance to side with FOTA against the FIA it could eliminate much of this elevated status, resulting in teams being treated more equally which is good news for the sport, as the playing field will be much more level but bad news for Ferrari, no more mid-season rule clarifications in thier favour, things like that!!

Load of bollocks!

Montezemolo is the head of the FOTA and is speaking in the name of all the F1 teams when he criticizes Bernie. :rolleyes:

[Knock-on]

Load of bollocks!

Montezemolo is the head of the FOTA and is speaking in the name of all the F1 teams when he criticizes Bernie. :rolleyes:

He may be the head of FOTA but is also the head of Ferrari which is a member of FOTA so he is speaking for both parties in effect.

[speeddurango]

Well, that was a rather strong personal opinion than anything else when saying Singaport is a farce, someone may not like it, and there can be some negative feedback like over bumpiness at some parts, but a farce is a way overly exaggerated comment unless you're joking.

[gloomyDAY]

The reason I placed that title is because Luca is breaking ranks with the FIA. Feels as if someone finally saw the light and got a fresh breath of air. A little infighting never did anyone any harm (see: CART v Indy) :p .


Well, that was a rather strong personal opinion than anything else when saying Singaport is a farce, someone may not like it, and there can be some negative feedback like over bumpiness at some parts, but a farce is a way overly exaggerated comment unless you're joking.I really-really-really didn't like Singapore as a race circuit.
Is it pretty? Yes. Is it necessary? No.


Some tracks on the F1 calendar are just plain bland and need to be reconsidered. Valencia nearly put me to sleep. I thought that I had been sucking down on NyQuil since my eyelids were so heavy.

[BDunnell]

The interesting thing here, as others have intimated, is why he has chosen this moment to speak out. On whose behalf he is speaking I don't know — none of us truly do without him saying whether he's doing so on behalf of FOTA.

He may be the head of FOTA but is also the head of Ferrari which is a member of FOTA so he is speaking for both parties in effect.

Where does it say he was speaking on behalf of FOTA?

He doesn't say it, so it is somewhat presumptious to assume he is, is it not?

Was Mark Webber speaking on behalf of the GPDA when he criticised Hamilton? Since he didn't claim to be, it would be unfair to state that Hamilton was being slated by the GPDA.....but since your logic insists that De Montezemolo is speaking in both his capacties, you would have to accept that the GPDA criticised Hamilton.

Anything else would be grossly hypocritical, no matter how unfair you might feel it to be towards Lewis.

Something tells me you wouldn't accept Webber's comments as meaning that the GPDA was being critical, however, in which case you are being hypocritical by given De Montezemolo's comments the status of having FOTA-backing.

Either way, you're just a hypocrit with no intelligent comment on De Montezemolo's comments, just using it in another pathetic attempt to bash the FIA.

He may be the head of FOTA but is also the head of Ferrari which is a member of FOTA so he is speaking for both parties in effect.

So was Mark Webber speaking on behalf of the GPDA when he criticised Hamilton for being too aggressive or for driving like an idiot behind the safety car?

By your reckoning, he must have been............Even though common sense says otherwise.

Unless De Montezemolo speaks officially on behalf of FOTA, he isn't speaking on their behalf.

[ArrowsFA1]

Montezemolo is the head of the FOTA and is speaking in the name of all the F1 teams when he criticizes Bernie. :rolleyes:


He may be the head of FOTA but is also the head of Ferrari which is a member of FOTA so he is speaking for both parties in effect.


Unless De Montezemolo speaks officially on behalf of FOTA, he isn't speaking on their behalf.

Does it matter? He's giving his opinion - I assume in response to questions from a journalist - on a couple of issues relating to F1; issues that affect the teams and the sport as a whole. He doesn't specifically say he's speaking for Ferrari, for FOTA, or both, or either for that matter!!

[ioan]

Does it matter?

What a question! :rolleyes:
Sure it does matter!

[F1boat]

I like street courses! Why two or three out of 18 is too much? Cause Ferrari struggles in them?
Thumbs down to LdM.

[jso1985]

I like street courses! Why two or three out of 18 is too much? Cause Ferrari struggles in them?
Thumbs down to LdM.

But there are street courses and street courses too...

Monaco, Toronto, Long Beach or Macao are great ones, ok the glamour plays a huge part in some of them.

Singapore or Surfers Paradise are ok, certainly they offer less than what they publish

Valencia and all the former US F1 street courses are just plain boring

I like street courses! Why two or three out of 18 is too much? Cause Ferrari struggles in them?
Thumbs down to LdM.

Three street races, three poles, one win and two defeats where unusual circumstances turned the result when Ferrari held the lead doesn't really suggest struggling.

[F1boat]

The charm is in the unusual circumstances.

[ioan]

I like street courses! Why two or three out of 18 is too much? Cause Ferrari struggles in them?


That's false! :rolleyes:

The charm is in the unusual circumstances.

I don't deny that, but to claim that Ferrari strguggles on street circuits doesn't correspond to reality.

Ferrari had the luck desert them twice on street circuits...or, if you prefer, got caught out/shot themselves in the foot on two occasions....

...but they were leading the race on out-and-out pace on both occasions.

Which is not struggling.

[wmcot]

I like street courses! Why two or three out of 18 is too much? Cause Ferrari struggles in them?
Thumbs down to LdM.

Yes! Let's bring back Dallas, Detroit, and the Las Vegas car park!!!

[PolePosition_1]

The reason I placed that title is because Luca is breaking ranks with the FIA.

Is he though?

I'm under the understanding the FIA are for cost cuts, and believe that the teams should get a higher percentage of the revenue.

Bearing this in mind, I'd say the FOTA are in battle with Bernie, and not the FIA.

[ioan]

Is he though?

I'm under the understanding the FIA are for cost cuts, and believe that the teams should get a higher percentage of the revenue.

Bearing this in mind, I'd say the FOTA are in battle with Bernie, and not the FIA.

Yep, something like that.

[PolePosition_1]

Yep, something like that.

Wow - we agree :)