FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

Discuss the sport you love with other motorsport fans

Formula One related discussion.
#196964
Luca di Montezemolo is a weak character and his team would not be winning races using the same budget as its rivals, according to former FIA president Max Mosley.

The former FIA president criticised di Montezemolo, the current Ferrari president, in an interview that appears in the May edition of F1 Racing on sale today.

Mosley said: "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's comments came after a number of revelations he made when responding to an F1 Racing reader's question on whether the FIA favoured Ferrari.

"We never did favour Ferrari, although there was this perception that we did. You could go to Ferrari and they would be completely honest and open with you; most of the other teams wouldn't do that."

However, Mosley admits that the FIA had handled the events of the Malaysian GP in 1999 incorrectly, when Ferrari was nearly thrown out of the race for barge board irregularities.

"They were legal if they were at a slight angle to the chassis and illegal if they were vertical," Mosley said. "I think that they were probably vertical, but we took them off to look at them, and then Ferrari [said], 'No, they were at a slight angle', and they got off on that basis.

"We should have impounded the entire car, but you live and learn and we would never make that mistake again."

He also claimed that Ferrari was "not prepared to take on the other teams on an equal basis," saying the Maranello squad would "fail" if it used the same budget as its rivals.

"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," said Mosley. "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."

Mosley said that any animosity directed towards him by fans during his tenure as FIA president was as a result of misconceptions.

"If the fans really understood the issues, I don't think they would be against me, because everything I've ever done has always been done with a view to keeping Formula 1 going and stopping it collapsing," said Mosley. "It's a much more fragile structure than people realise."

yeah you live and learn hey Max, just cost McLaren the constructors title no biggy!
#196979
Ferrari did seem to get away with a lot and McLaren seemed to get punished at every opportunity, but I believe that Mosley does have a point; I wonder whether Ferrari (and McLaren) can make use of limited resources in the same way a team like Williams could; guess we'll find out next season when the budget cap comes into place, if it happens!!!
#197003
What Mosley is saying about efficiency is only part of the whole picture. Sure, a team of 50 is always going to seem less efficient than a team of 10. But will the end results be the same? i doubt it. Also, by reducing the cost issues with a simple which team will beat whom... Mosley is overlooking the whole picture of Ferrari's and pretty much all the big names' involvement in F1.

Ferrari is a big company, it has big expenses. So far, its involvement in F1 has been sustainable or at least profitable... the reason(s) they dont want F1 to be "cheap" is very unlikely to be as simple as being scared of a smaller team beating them. That's stupid, even if its possible.

Mosley should get some balls and address the real issues behind F1's sustainability, rather than emit opinions to provoke reactions from a team.
:rolleyes:
#197147
I still want to meet the guy.


I still want to punch the guy.
#197159
I still want to meet the guy.


I still want to punch the guy.



f***ing no, Bernie is my Grampa


He doesnt talk like you.
#197172
I still want to meet the guy.


I still want to punch the guy.



f***ing no, Bernie is my Grampa


He doesnt talk like you.


Thats racist.

:rofl: Dont you start!!
Just an observation that Ewan has a much much sexier voice than Mosely.
Hello, new member here

Yeah, not very active here, unfortunately. Is it […]

See our F1 related articles too!