Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and Piero Ferrari, son of founder Enzo, have hit back at criticism levelled at the Ferrari team after they failed to secure the championship in Abu Dhabi.
Roberto Calderoli, an Italian politician, blasted the teams strategy calls at the 2010 finale, saying the team “has managed to lose a championship [they had] already won.”
He went on to criticise Montezemolo, urging the Italian to leave the company.
“We are ashamed of this insane strategy and he [Montezemolo] is guilty. He should get out of Maranello immediately so he does no further harm to Ferrari – by the evening, we expect his resignation.”
The comments haven’t gone unnoticed in Maranello with Montezemolo and Ferrari claiming the Ferrari marque has done more for Italy than he, or any other politician will ever achieve.
“When Calderoli has achieved in his life one per cent of what Ferrari has done for this country in terms of industry and sports, then he’ll deserve an answer,” Montezemolo said angrily.
“I’m astonished and saddened by certain statements some politicians and a minister of the Italian Republic made after the race,” added Ferrari.
“It has never happened in my entire life at Ferrari that politicians intervened during good and bad moments in our life in motorsport, and I want it to stay like this – but if we want to have a look at how much Ferrari has done for Italy’s image around the world, then I can only say that it is definitely much more than certain politicians have done!”
