Montezemolo: F1 is too dependent on aerodynamics

Not wishing to miss his home Grand Prix, Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo arrived in the Monza paddock this morning where he was given a warm welcome by the fans. Having said hello to the guys in the team and the drivers, Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, the President met with Team Principal Stefano Domenicali and some of the team’s technical and commercial partners.

“I am pleased to be here as I have not yet been to a Grand Prix this year and definitely could not miss out on Monza,” said Montezemolo, during a brief meeting with the media at the Ferrari motorhome. “We are not where we would have liked to be, but as for this race, as usual, we will only do the sums on Sunday night.”

He was then quizzed on a variety of Formula 1 topics, including a subject he is particularly keen on, that of teams running a third car. “I still believe it is a good idea, as it was in the past and would be today, if the big teams could give a car to the smaller teams. It would certainly produce more competition and would provide an opportunity to run young drivers as well as representing a clear cost saving. The current Formula 1 is still too dependent on aerodynamics and cutting out testing during the season has put too much emphasis on simulation work. At the mid-point of the last decade, there was definitely too much testing, but now we have gone in the completely opposite direction.”

Montezemolo also stressed the importance of Formula 1 as a challenge based on advanced technology that can be transferred to the road, citing KERS as an example. In fact, an entire wall in the Ferrari motorhome is dedicated to displaying examples of technology transfer from Formula 1 to road cars made in Maranello.

Asked if any changes were planned within the team the President had this to say: “As you know, I have for a long time supported the idea of dynamic stability, which means that while one can always change some pawns, the front line is covered and it’s working very well.”

Montezemolo watched qualifying from the garage and pit wall and after waving to the thousands of Ferrari fans in the grandstands, he added: “in our current state, starting from the second and third rows is okay and we are in with a chance in the race tomorrow.”

Next Tuesday, Montezemolo will be in Frankfurt for the Motor Show, where the new 458 Spider will be launched, the first car with an 8 cylinder central-rear mounted engine, with a retractable solid roof.