Montezemolo's letter to the fans

[TIFOSI_FERRARI]

http://f1grandprix.motorionline.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/montezemolo-scrive-ai-tifosi-2010.jpg

Dear friends,

A couple of days after the huge disappointment of the outcome of this season's last race, which still hurts, I want to talk to you. I felt, just like you and the whole team that the goal we have been pursuing over the whole season even when others had written us off was even closer after Saturday afternoon's qualifying.

Unfortunately a wrong evaluation from the pitwall during a crucial stage compromised the race, preventing the conquest of the title. The five marvellous victories by Fernando and the team weren't enough to reach our goal. This is the law of sports.

Nevertheless I think that all those who have worked so hard during the year - technicians, mechanics, workers and drivers - have to be thanked for their commitment, their dedication and their competence they showed every single one of them. I thanked them personally last Sunday evening at the track and yesterday at the Works, but today I want to do it together with our fans. Unfortunately the final is not on a level with an exciting season, where we were the undisputed protagonists of an incredible pursuit race and therefore the result leaves us with an even bigger bitter aftertaste.

I also whole-heartedly want to thank all of you, who encouraged us, cheered for us, stimulated us and criticised us, although always with affection and the passion, which characterises those who really love Ferrari. It's during those moments, which aren't so easy, when you recognise the real fans like you.

I received numerous messages of encouragement, strengthening our desire to react. We all want to get back onto the track immediately for a return game, but we have to wait until the start of the next Championship. Meanwhile we will continue to work relentlessly on the 2011 single-seater, because we all, together with you have an objective: taking a winning car onto the track as of the first race.

Thank you all and Forza Ferrari!!

Luca di Montezemolo

[TIFOSI_FERRARI]

FORZA FERRARI
FORZA LUCA

[sav_pap]

We are Always Winners!!! Forza Ferrari.

[coolrunnings_99]

No, thats just plain wrong, and it will happen again, unless you remedy it with something stronger and more practical then a few cosy words.
Or build a car that can walk your talk, like Red Bulls have walked it, though it seemed they didnt.
But they did, and with no inter driver arrangements, the proper way.
Us licking our self inflicted wounds, will only increase the illusion.

Still, its always nice to say something nice and positive, but it wont lift the weight, wont make a laptime, wont get you pole, no race wins, and no championships.

Respect to Fernando, for not letting out, not even a sigh.

[Fiondella]

No, thats just plain wrong, and it will happen again, unless you remedy it with something stronger and more practical then a few cosy words.
Or build a car that can walk your talk, like Red Bulls have walked it, though it seemed they didnt.
But they did, and with no inter driver arrangements, the proper way.
Us licking our self inflicted wounds, will only increase the illusion.

Still, its always nice to say something nice and positive, but it wont lift the weight, wont make a laptime, wont get you pole, no race wins, and no championships.

Respect to Fernando, for not letting out, not even a sigh.

Pragmatic but maybe a little glass half empty? I think we were lucky to be in a position to fight for the WDC at the end. But I do agree that we need another big step in development and a shakeup of pitwall decision making procedures. I think Nando was nearly good for his 6/10s :-)

[ferrari4life]

i agree with Cool..Where are our designers and why do they fail to come up with anything game changing instead of chasing around after McLaren and RedBull designs.

People should be chasing us..not the other way around. We are Ferrari not a bunch of also rans..

Until we see what the new season brings I would be reluctant to start praising the teams achievements. at the end of the day we still lost.

[coolrunnings_99]

actually, after last 3 seasons, its glass half full, of crap generally;-)

[vagos]

THAT IS WHY I SUPPORT THIS TEAM!!!!
FORCA FERRARIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

FORZA LUCA!!!!!!!!

[Hornet]

i agree with Cool..Where are our designers and why do they fail to come up with anything game changing instead of chasing around after McLaren and RedBull designs.

People should be chasing us..not the other way around. We are Ferrari not a bunch of also rans..

Until we see what the new season brings I would be reluctant to start praising the teams achievements. at the end of the day we still lost.

Looking at the last race specifically, yes I would agree that we lost. We got our positions, it was a race for us to lose and we lost it, we had it in our hands on Saturday and let it slip away on Sunday.

However, looking at the whole season, I think it wasn't a straightforward lost. This whole season was supposed to be a lost cause for us half way through, but we did a miracle that I dare say no other team currently on the track could do, which is to fight back and took the lead until the miserable final race. Thats an achievement we should be proud of

[Mrs.Domenicali]

I have an email back from Stefano Domenicali after I emailed him on sunday afternoon. I will post it up later when things are less hectic at work. :-)

[Hermann]

Looking at the last race specifically, yes I would agree that we lost. We got our positions, it was a race for us to lose and we lost it, we had it in our hands on Saturday and let it slip away on Sunday.

However, looking at the whole season, I think it wasn't a straightforward lost. This whole season was supposed to be a lost cause for us half way through, but we did a miracle that I dare say no other team currently on the track could do, which is to fight back and took the lead until the miserable final race. Thats an achievement we should be proud of

Fernando together with the team created an illusion, a soap bubble which in the end had to pop.

I never posted this before the last race because everyone was so excited, some even already celebrating- but i personally never believed we would take this title. In the Q3 on saturday Fernando put the car where it didn't belong; on P3. I knew Button would most likely jump him at the start, then he would have Webber behind him, and i also expected Webber to jump him in the pits. In the end the reason why we lost it was another one, but the outcome i did expect.

That it would be a strategy error in the end is not so surprising as well. We have seen some strategy errors in the last years and also this year from Ferrari, though what we saw in this last race is hard to top.

Wasn't Baldisseri replaced with Chris Dyer after the desaster with Kimi's tyres? I have to admit it shows that a replacement is not always the best solution...

Still, the strategy team is not only Chris. There are many more people involved. And i'm sure while Montezemolo and Domenicali are writing nice letters to make the fans feel better, they are having at the same time a good look at the future structure.

[ferrari4life]

Looking at the last race specifically, yes I would agree that we lost. We got our positions, it was a race for us to lose and we lost it, we had it in our hands on Saturday and let it slip away on Sunday.

However, looking at the whole season, I think it wasn't a straightforward lost. This whole season was supposed to be a lost cause for us half way through, but we did a miracle that I dare say no other team currently on the track could do, which is to fight back and took the lead until the miserable final race. Thats an achievement we should be proud of

We didnt loose the title because of the last race.. we lost it during the whole season. Why is it that we were in a position to contemplate writing off 2010 halfway through the year. we wrote off 2009 and it didnt seem to make a difference with the way we started 2010.

2008 we should have won because we had a great car.. 2009 I understand we have to have an off year every now and then. 2010 we spent the first half chasing 2 teams and the second half chasing 1.
maybe Alonso is that great and Massa was a more accurate reflection of the car. I just think we are no where near the top at this point in time.
i think as a whole..in design, innovation, pit wall/stop efficiency, and driver perfection we are serverly lacking.
The only beacon of hope is that we were able to jump mclaren for speed. but in the last race they jumped us right back.
also 2008 sure the brawns had an advantage with the DD. however red bull was even faster than us without the DD. the focus on the DD and the lack of attention to what the red bull was doing cost us at the start of 2010.

[Mrs.Domenicali]

This is the email I received in response to the one I sent on sunday, quite surprised to get a reply in all honesty as I thought they would have been inundated. Just goes to show what a nice team they are that they take the effort to reply to fans :-)

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/436/email18112010.jpg

4048

[Ken]

What a load of bull from Cool and his gang.

One appears to be blessed with balls of Crystal and could foretell the tragedy that Sunday brought.

Luca has led the team through more successful years than last and they are all human beings with accompanying frailties.

Get over it and stop behaving like a lot of French crones at the Guillotine.

Yes many mistakes this year and many great successes, a season of drama which has been the most exciting for years and we were a major part of it.

We will with the determination of Luca and Dom be back fighting next year.

So cheer up and look forward to a good season for Ferrari and F1 next year.

[Fiondella]

This is the email I received in response to the one I sent on sunday, quite surprised to get a reply in all honesty as I thought they would have been inundated. Just goes to show what a nice team they are that they take the effort to reply to fans :-)

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/436/email18112010.jpg

4048

NIce one clair. So whats in your miscallaneous crap folder? :lol

[Mrs.Domenicali]

NIce one clair. So whats in your miscallaneous crap folder? :lol

Anything from McLaren or Red Bull ;-)

[Hermann]

What a load of bull from Cool and his gang.

One appears to be blessed with balls of Crystal and could foretell the tragedy that Sunday brought.

Luca has led the team through more successful years than last and they are all human beings with accompanying frailties.

Get over it and stop behaving like a lot of French crones at the Guillotine.

Yes many mistakes this year and many great successes, a season of drama which has been the most exciting for years and we were a major part of it.

We will with the determination of Luca and Dom be back fighting next year.

So cheer up and look forward to a good season for Ferrari and F1 next year.

Don't mock my crystal ball. I have a 85% success rate! Duh! 8-):twisted

[Mrs.Domenicali]

Don't mock my crystal ball. I have a 85% success rate! Duh! 8-):twisted

Yeah so did Paul the Octopus and look what happened to him :lol

[Hermann]

Yeah so did Paul the Octopus and look what happened to him :lol

He did a natural death, thats what happened to him. Are you saying you are waiting for mine too now? Not very funny, you know.

[Mrs.Domenicali]

He did a natural death, thats what happened to him. Are you saying you are waiting for mine too now? Not very funny, you know.

Do lighten up - I said nothing of the sort :-) I was just jokingly hinting that predicting things can be dangerous.

[Hermann]

Do lighten up - I said nothing of the sort :-) I was just jokingly hinting that predicting things can be dangerous.

Oh yes i know that. Exactly the reason why i never mentioned anything before the race. There were times when the bringer of bad messages were killed.

But Paul wasn't killed, he died a natural death at a normal age.

[Greig]

What a load of bull from Cool and his gang.

Come on Ken, you are better than that to debate the point without throwing in such a line :-)

[Tifosi]

Fernando together with the team created an illusion, a soap bubble which in the end had to pop.

I never posted this before the last race because everyone was so excited, some even already celebrating- but i personally never believed we would take this title. In the Q3 on saturday Fernando put the car where it didn't belong; on P3. I knew Button would most likely jump him at the start, then he would have Webber behind him, and i also expected Webber to jump him in the pits. In the end the reason why we lost it was another one, but the outcome i did expect.

That it would be a strategy error in the end is not so surprising as well. We have seen some strategy errors in the last years and also this year from Ferrari, though what we saw in this last race is hard to top.

Wasn't Baldisseri replaced with Chris Dyer after the desaster with Kimi's tyres? I have to admit it shows that a replacement is not always the best solution...

Still, the strategy team is not only Chris. There are many more people involved. And i'm sure while Montezemolo and Domenicali are writing nice letters to make the fans feel better, they are having at the same time a good look at the future structure.


If your personal foresight is that good Hermann, why don't you put yourself up for Chris Dyer's job? :-)

[Suzie]

Cool and his gang.

Sorry, I laughed :oops

Thanks for posting the email Clair. It kind of got lost in that conversation about Paul the Octopus. He's like the official mascot of TSN or something :-D

[Nova]

Great letter Mrs Dom...thx for sharing..

What does Cool and his gang mean? Or is it some sort of "casual" remark?

[siberianlady]

Great letter Mrs Dom...thx for sharing..

What does Cool and his gang mean? Or is it some sort of "casual" remark?

Was the name of some crappy pop group around 100 years ago.......... although I think he called himself Kool with a K........

[Suzie]

Great letter Mrs Dom...thx for sharing..

What does Cool and his gang mean? Or is it some sort of "casual" remark?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M ;-)

[bonzo]

Bla, bla, bla... We do not need letters of explanations. We need you to pool up your efforts, make the best car and stop making stupid mistakes. Ah, btw, whoever came with the idea to pit Alonso at the wrong time, he sould be sent on one year's leave, at least, if not fire him.
The thing in Luca's letter which I appreciate most is that he admits the mistake. In the first 24 hours after the race Ferrari seemed to deny a terrible mistake has been made by the team - a foolish thing to do when we, all the fans saw it, realized it the minute Alonso pitted. For Christ sake, didn't anyone on the pitwall see that 8 drivers pitted and changed tyres during the SC laps? Didn't anyone on the pitwall see that Webber pitted to change tyres because he scratched the wall? Didn't anyone see and compare lap times with the option tyres of the first 3 drivers?
WHY PIT, WHY CHANGE????:furious:furious

[Poltergeistes]

Bla, bla, bla... We do not need letters of explanations. We need you to pool up your efforts, make the best car and stop making stupid mistakes. Ah, btw, whoever came with the idea to pit Alonso at the wrong time, he sould be sent on one year's leave, at least, if not fire him.
The thing in Luca's letter which I appreciate most is that he admits the mistake. In the first 24 hours after the race Ferrari seemed to deny a terrible mistake has been made by the team - a foolish thing to do when we, all the fans saw it, realized it the minute Alonso pitted. For Christ sake, didn't anyone on the pitwall see that 8 drivers pitted and changed tyres during the SC laps? Didn't anyone on the pitwall see that Webber pitted to change tyres because he scratched the wall? Didn't anyone see and compare lap times with the option tyres of the first 3 drivers?
WHY PIT, WHY CHANGE????:furious:furious


I don't know... for the same reasons we drive around at night with anaconda's hanging outside the car...

[Ken]

Sorry about the "load of bull" comment

But it was a response to some purile comments from folk who can only Knock the team. and can only be enthusiastic in times of winning. Sadly there is no such team in F1 that they can go to ;-)

[jocaranz]

Sorry about the "load of bull" comment

But it was a response to some purile comments from folk who can only Knock the team. and can only be enthusiastic in times of winning. Sadly there is no such team in F1 that they can go to ;-)

well said. A true one is the who will be there thru ups and downs.

But maybe they are just reminding us to go all out in improving the car.

[coolrunnings_99]

I am knocking this team since 1978.
I must be of Max Mosley s provenance then, since therein lies almost 3 decades of pain, with moments of bliss that make it well worth it.
There is no other team in motor racing.

Reminder to the more eloquent and well respected members of this comunity.
Please try to conduct a conversation in manner as if the person you re in disagreemnet with, is sitting in front of you, in a pub for instance.

Results may well surprise you, as well as the consequences.

bye cool...

[Fiondella]

Mine's a pint of Kronenbourg. Now what were we talking about? oh yes :-)

[coolrunnings_99]

short drinks for me:-D

[Pekka]

In my honest opinion Ferrari got what they deserved by not winning this years championships. They got rid of Kimi and it was far from a clean move which i'd justify. Luckily at least Ferrari lost a big amount of cash to Kimi + this years championships.. Now they can move on with morally clear grounds to winning the championships next year and I wish them good luck.. I would have been shocked if Ferrari won it this year :-D

[Hermann]

And there are people who claim Alonso-fans are weird.

[Agron]

In my honest opinion Ferrari got what they deserved by not winning this years championships. They got rid of Kimi and it was far from a clean move which i'd justify. Luckily at least Ferrari lost a big amount of cash to Kimi + this years championships.. Now they can move on with morally clear grounds to winning the championships next year and I wish them good luck.. I would have been shocked if Ferrari won it this year :-DAs much as I liked the guy and his cool attitude, and mind you he is up there with Alonso as my favourite driver, if what Massa, Ferrari, and all the bits of info from journalists are right, if it was my job on the line as team principal I would have definitely done the same. For some time now it seemed like F1 was his boring job and rally his passion.

[Tifosi]

In my honest opinion Ferrari got what they deserved by not winning this years championships. They got rid of Kimi and it was far from a clean move which i'd justify. Luckily at least Ferrari lost a big amount of cash to Kimi + this years championships.. Now they can move on with morally clear grounds to winning the championships next year and I wish them good luck.. I would have been shocked if Ferrari won it this year :-D

:lol

He got paid under the terms of his contract with Ferrari. He worked for Ferrari. He came to an agreement with them about how he would work for Ferrari in 2010 (i.e. Do whatever he liked) and they honoured it. Where is the moral dilemma for you Pekka?

[TIFOSI_FERRARI]

http://www.422race.com/wp-content/gallery/f1-gp-abu-dhabi-2010-sabato/100073abu-422race.jpg

[Nova]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M ;-)

Hey Suz..I am hip to the Band Cool n the Gang....Cant get enough of that Funky Stuff...think I meant it in a sarcastic way..like, why hang
a moniker like that on our team...but thank you for the link...Ise hip....sometimes...

[Nova]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M ;-)

Hey Suz..I am hip to the Band Cool n the Gang....Cant get enough of that Funky Stuff...think I meant it in a sarcastic way..like, why hang
a moniker like that on our team...but thank you for the link...Ise hip....sometimes...

[Nova]

N I dont think they were crappy at all..then again, I like the American Top Gear too...

[REDARMYSOJA]

I like the American Top Gear too...

Really? It's ok so far, I suppose but it seems such a pale imitation of the real thing.

[Nova]

Its not supposed to be the real thing Im thinking, it cant, really..so it just exists for people like me who
love cars n silly people, n cars...it is a TG production, n they arent trying to be the terrible threesome, so
I'll watch it...at least its a show that diminishes by 1, the number of truly crappy shows that are out there..
Im actually looking forward to it...Top Gear on Sunday, then Top Gear Top Gear on Monday...

Slot cars..nah, did that..mabey a go cart..or an old motorcycle...

[TheProdigalSon]

Let's just forget 2010! 2011 is where it's at let's hope we have some super quick on rails car like this years redbull. I wonder what kind of KERS package we will have. Heard Mcheaters are opting for a hydraulic solution instead of electrical. And those rear wings adjusting - I wonder if that will have a noticeable impact unlike the adjustable front wings.

[Diego]

Fernando together with the team created an illusion, a soap bubble which in the end had to pop.

I never posted this before the last race because everyone was so excited, some even already celebrating- but i personally never believed we would take this title. In the Q3 on saturday Fernando put the car where it didn't belong; on P3. I knew Button would most likely jump him at the start, then he would have Webber behind him, and i also expected Webber to jump him in the pits. In the end the reason why we lost it was another one, but the outcome i did expect.

That it would be a strategy error in the end is not so surprising as well. We have seen some strategy errors in the last years and also this year from Ferrari, though what we saw in this last race is hard to top.

Wasn't Baldisseri replaced with Chris Dyer after the desaster with Kimi's tyres? I have to admit it shows that a replacement is not always the best solution...

Still, the strategy team is not only Chris. There are many more people involved. And i'm sure while Montezemolo and Domenicali are writing nice letters to make the fans feel better, they are having at the same time a good look at the future structure.

Great post ! In fact I was fearing the same as you. Button passing Alonso at start and Webber in the pits. But after Webber hit the wall that scenario wouldn't happen. But Ferrari made a ridiculous error and screwed it.

[siberianlady]

Great post ! In fact I was fearing the same as you. Button passing Alonso at start and Webber in the pits. But after Webber hit the wall that scenario wouldn't happen. But Ferrari made a ridiculous error and screwed it.

Diego
I am sure the team is the first to acknowledge mistakes, rectify them and get on with winning in the future. so why don't we as fans just put our faith in them getting it right next year and stop all this negative nonsense now.
As Aldo Costa said in his interview- they were all gutted and demoralised- it is our job now to help them get over this, smile again and go for it properly 2011- wipe the floor with all the one hit wonders and show Schumacher the retirement door for good!