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Ferrari's Christmas
weekend got underway with the traditional Scuderia lunch
which took place in the Logistics pavilion at Maranello
and was attended by around seven hundred men and women
from the team, including Stefano Domenicali and the full
complement of drivers – from Fernando Alonso and Felipe
Massa, to the test drivers, Marc Gené, Luca Badoer,
Jules Bianchi and Giancarlo Fisichella – as well as
representatives from all the sponsors and suppliers.
Along with seasonal toasts and the giving of gifts, the
event was also an opportunity for a final look back at
an extremely intense season, as well as taking a peek
into the upcoming one, which now beckons. As usual, this
task fell to President Luca di Montezemolo. “It has been
an amazing year, split into three stages,” he began. “A
brilliant start in Bahrain, which made it seem we could
win a lot, a big disappointment in the run up to the
mid-point of the season, when our car could not match
the pace of the best; great satisfaction in a fight back
that took us into the lead going into the final race. We
know how it ended and there is no point in denying it
was very disappointing. But we were aware, indeed we
still are, that we gave it our best shot and also that
all year long, one car was quicker than ours, sometimes
emphatically so.”
However, Montezemolo did not hide his satisfaction at
seeing Ferrari back at the top again in Formula 1. “From
1997 up until now, there have been only two years, 2005
and 2009, when we were not in the fight for the title.
In the other years, we won one or both titles, or we
lost at the last round. Sure, it would have been nice to
win this year, especially with a team made up of so many
people, starting with Stefano Domenicali, who started
their working lives and grew up at Ferrari, but it did
not turn out that way. We are well aware of what we must
now do in preparation for next year. Immediately, from
the very first race, we have to have a car capable of
winning: these are critical weeks, in which so much is
in the balance and so it needs determination,
creativity, a desire to innovate, for everyone to
improve in their own jobs so that they set their own
personal pole positions. Also, we must maintain our
sense of being a group with that will to react that has
always characterised us, which could be seen in the
eyes, swollen with tears, of so many people in the Abu
Dhabi garage after the race. We managed to get out of
difficult moments by always sticking together. These are
not just the usual words at Christmas time: I am really
proud of you, of what you have done and of what you will
do. My thanks go to each and every one of you and also
to our commercial and technical partners, from Philip
Morris to Shell, to Santander and to all the others,
without whose support we would never have become what we
are today. A special thanks goes to Bridgestone, who we
leave, at least in Formula 1 terms, after eleven
fantastic years which resulted in fourteen world titles,
made up of Drivers’ and Constructors.’”
Montezemolo also had something to say about the two
drivers, Alonso and Massa: Fernando had an amazing
season, fitting in really well to our family. He showed
incredible character, especially when there were those
who reckoned he was mad to say he would be in the
running for the title right up to Abu Dhabi, when he was
a very long way off the leader. Felipe had a complicated
season, but he will be able to get back to the level
that saw him back in 2008 which is not exactly a long
time ago, become world champion, albeit for just a few
seconds.”
For one driver the lunch had a special significance: at
the end of this year, Luca Badoer relinquishes the role
of test driver for the Scuderia, which he has filled for
the past thirteen seasons. “Luca has been a key element
in so much of our success, thanks to a job that is so
vital, even if carried out far from the limelight,
consisting of thousands of kilometres, suggestions and
ideas,” said Montezemolo. “I wish to thank him for what
he has done and how he did it, because he deserves
praise for carrying out this role with great discretion,
as well as turning down race drives with other teams to
stay as part of our family.” Badoer was presented with
two special gifts: a sculpture made of parts of every
Ferrari single-seater he has driven and a Fiat 500
Tributo Ferrari.
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