Montezemolo threatens to leave F1

[Ken]

I think a few here need to get to know the legend that is Ferrari.

When Enzo started up Ferrari his dream was to fulfill the dreams of others by giving them a road car that performed like a racing car. The technology once proven on the race track was adopted and used in his road cars.

Strip the body work off a Ferrari or a Mclaren, and there you will see a lot of similarities with F1's and Prototype cars used at Le Mans. There are other sports cars using very similar technology.

Having lived long enough to be fascinated by the ever changing innovations from the mid 60's to the early 90's when designers had a virtually a free hand to explore the limits of engine, chassis and Aero.

My fear is that if the Formula / Spec is kept as rigid as it is now eventually all the cars will reach the same common denominator and all the cars will be same in every respect. That will be the end of F1 as we know it, and will cease to be the spectacle we love and main source of technical innovation for all types of cars.

[Ferrari2183]

Well said sir.

Too many comment on things they no nothing or little about. But that is a decease of society today in which not enough reading and listening takes place.

As they say, "people who know the least, know it the loudest?"

[Poltergeistes]

I think a few here need to get to know the legend that is Ferrari.

When Enzo started up Ferrari his dream was to fulfill the dreams of others by giving them a road car that performed like a racing car. The technology once proven on the race track was adopted and used in his road cars.

Strip the body work off a Ferrari or a Mclaren, and there you will see a lot of similarities with F1's and Prototype cars used at Le Mans. There are other sports cars using very similar technology.

Having lived long enough to be fascinated by the ever changing innovations from the mid 60's to the early 90's when designers had a virtually a free hand to explore the limits of engine, chassis and Aero.

My fear is that if the Formula / Spec is kept as rigid as it is now eventually all the cars will reach the same common denominator and all the cars will be same in every respect. That will be the end of F1 as we know it, and will cease to be the spectacle we love and main source of technical innovation for all types of cars.

Nice reference there, this is exactly what i miss most in F1, the cars used to be alot more different than one another, now the differences are so minimal, it's almost non existent, it's one little trickle at the end plate of the front wing and so on... but nothing really drastic as far as designs goes, and also the technology that used to be involved is now gone, it's almost down to a spec series.

Remember how F1 in 10 years from 1992 (for example) to 2002, what a drastic change that was, so much technology built in, not just becoming faster, but also safer, in all aspects really.

I really miss that, I hope they would go back and ave more freedom, cause yes to fans the drivers championship is so cool, but as team's fans are concerned, and specially the people that are working at the F1 factories, they are all about designing the best car, that's where the real war is at, between designers, engineers and so on.

[qjay]

I think a few here need to get to know the legend that is Ferrari.

When Enzo started up Ferrari his dream was to fulfill the dreams of others by giving them a road car that performed like a racing car. The technology once proven on the race track was adopted and used in his road cars.

Strip the body work off a Ferrari or a Mclaren, and there you will see a lot of similarities with F1's and Prototype cars used at Le Mans. There are other sports cars using very similar technology.

Having lived long enough to be fascinated by the ever changing innovations from the mid 60's to the early 90's when designers had a virtually a free hand to explore the limits of engine, chassis and Aero.

My fear is that if the Formula / Spec is kept as rigid as it is now eventually all the cars will reach the same common denominator and all the cars will be same in every respect. That will be the end of F1 as we know it, and will cease to be the spectacle we love and main source of technical innovation for all types of cars.

If this happens, it will be just like the A1 Ring racing series a few years ago. Same chassis,engines,etc. That didn't last long did it.

[racingbradley]

'If F1 still wants Ferrari it must change' - Montezemolo

That's a boy Luca you tell them how it is

[FFFerrari]

This again? Yawn.

Didn't Luca already get what he wanted, no 4-cylinder enginers with turbo but V6? And I think they already announced that there will be some testing during the 2012 season, atleast more than before. Without F1, Ferrari is just another luxury car builder, without Ferrari F1 is a shadow of itself. Both can exist without each other, but the result would be nasty. So I say - focus on the team and stop yapping, LdM.

[Effone]

Want some cheese with that whine Luca?

[Ferrari2183]

This again? Yawn.

Didn't Luca already get what he wanted, no 4-cylinder enginers with turbo but V6? And I think they already announced that there will be some testing during the 2012 season, atleast more than before. Without F1, Ferrari is just another luxury car builder, without Ferrari F1 is a shadow of itself. Both can exist without each other, but the result would be nasty. So I say - focus on the team and stop yapping, LdM.

Don't let that so called extra test fool you... All they've done is move one winter test to mid year. There is no difference in the amount of testing days for the 2012 season.

I trust that Todt will change that because he has already spoken about a return to testing.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Formula 1 has gotten to caught up in encouraging privateers, with pockets that aren't shy, to join the grid. Their performances are terrible and due to the lack of funding are not able to test and thus block the notion. The funny thing is that if they could procure the funding for testing they probably wouldn't suck as much because they would be able to improve via testing both on the aerodynamic front and on the setup front. These new privateer teams build their cars and rely almost entirely on CFD. They hardly use a wind tunnel and testing will help iron out the kinks.

I understand that unlimited testing is a no no, but going from one extreme to another is just as ridiculous. Testing MUST return even if they select a few, lets say 5, grand prix per season where they allow young drivers to test on the monday after the race. This cuts transport costs, removes the need for dedicated testing teams and the left over fuel from the weekend can be used, hell Pirelli can throw in experimental compounds as well.

[RockyRaccoon]

I know it's a biased point of view but it really bugs me that Ferrari can't use the infrastructure that they've already heavily invested in and go testing. I'm sure it would cost very little for Ferrari to use their own test track! It's not our fault that Red Bull are a fizzy drinks company and don't have a test track!

[piquade]

Luca, you need a few bunga bunga parties like your friend Berlusconi...

[Pekka]

LOL

[impactX]

Since Luca is at it, may as well plea for teams not to hire the spygate convicts or Ferrari would leave F1. More chance of that happening than running a third car.