Di Montezemolo proud of “champion” Massa
Ferrari chief congratulates Lewis and consoles Massa after thrilling title showdown in Brazil
Luca di Montezemolo has offered his consolation to Felipe Massa, describing the Brazilian as a “great champion and a great man” after his world came crashing down in Sau Paulo yesterday.
The Ferrari boss had to endure, along with the rest of the Italian squad, the agony of watching Massa win the Brazilian Grand Prix, and with it the championship, only for Lewis Hamilton to clinch the fifth place he needed to become champion moments later at the last corner of the last lap.
“In all my years in Formula 1, I haven’t seen such an incredibly exciting finish to a championship,” di Montezemolo told FerrariWorld.com. “I always said that we’d be fighting until the last corner of the last Grand Prix and that’s exactly what happened at the end of a brilliantly tense competition.
“Felipe in is in my thoughts as he crossed the finish line yesterday as world champion only to see the title slip through his fingers a few seconds later. I can only imagine how painful that moment must have been for him.”
Despite Massa’s gut-wrenching disappointment, Di Montezemolo was quick to point to his sterling victory in front of his home crowd.
“However, I would like to give him my very special compliments, not only for dominating the running out there on the track in front of his fans, proving he is worthy indeed of the world title, but also for his maturity and sportsmanship off the track. He’s a great champion and a great man.”
Massa’s emotional victory in Brazil secured the constructors’ title for Ferrari, the sixteenth in the team’s illustrious history, and Di Montezemolo was quick to congratulate the team for its efforts this season.
“Ferrari’s winning its 16th Constructors’ World title since its foundation is an important milestone not only because it is the fruit of the work put in by the team and the drivers throughout the entire Championship, but also because we will once again be able to put the World Champion symbol on our Grand Tourers,” he said.
“Winning for the eighth time in 10 years – a feat unequalled at world level in any other team sport – proves beyond a shadow of a doubt what an extraordinary group we are.”
The Ferrari chief was also quick to congratulate Lewis Hamilton on becoming the youngest world champion in the sport’s history.
“I would like to send my congratulations to Lewis Hamilton, the youngest ever world champion in the history of Formula 1,” he said.
“He was a very powerful rival indeed and his win, close though it was, was well deserved. He’ll have the number 1 on his car next season, but he can rest assured of one thing: we’ll be doing our very best to put it back on a Ferrari.”
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KeepItReal | Nov 4, 2008 | Reply
Well perhaps if the Ferrari spent more time playing fair and less time using their not inconsiderable influence; ensuring penalties go to their challengers. The might find that winning by cheating is actually no victory at all. But then what can you expect from the likes of outfit who try so hard to stunt the youth of the sport if they don’t drive a red car!??? It’s also funny when parties complain about night races when they screw-up, but not about the clear disparity in penalties when drivers aree released into the paths of others… suggest the Ferrari team as a whole read Animal Farm by George Orwell. But then when have we ever seen any magnanimous gestures from the likes of them. One final point. Well done Felipe, you had a good season, but were it not for the screw-ups from your team, you may have won. Then again, had it not been for the, at times, quite outragous decisions against Lewis, the title race may have been over an awful lot sooner than Brasil… Nuff Said!
Tone | Nov 5, 2008 | Reply
Felipe was my driver for that race. Faultlessly driving the whole race. Lewis was fortunate about Timo who did not change to wet tires. He was eaten by Vettel.
Big congratulations to Scuderia Ferrari for winning their 16th World Championship Title!
I can’t wait for the 2009 season to see how Kimi will snatch the drivers title back!