Ferrari: “Alonso, at the right time”

Luca di Montezemolo took advantage of Ferrari's Christmas dinner to return to a number of hot topics concerning the Scuderia. If he does not want to get angry with Kimi Räikkönen, now far from Maranello, the president of Ferrari does not hide that the Finn no longer met the expectations of the Scuderia. The Prancing Horse firm wanted a driver more involved in car development.

« We had reached an agreement (with Alonso) for 2011, at the end of the contract of our two drivers, confides Montezemolo. But we realized that we needed a driver who was more involved with the engineers, a characteristic that was not part of Kimi?s DNA, even though he is an incredibly talented driver. »

The president of Ferrari confirms that the accident of Felipe Massa, a trusted man of the Scuderia, accelerated things for Alonso to join Maranello in 2010. And Montezemolo is convinced to have made the right choice. “ Once we knew he was okay, and in light of what was happening at Renault, we tried to bring Fernando in a year earlier. He is a talented driver, fast and who works well as a team, while remaining focused on victory. I think he's arriving at the right time in his career. »

Despite this praise for Fernando Alonso, Luca di Montezemolo does not forget his predecessor, who allowed Ferrari to triumph on numerous occasions. “ We are very happy with what Kimi has done for Ferrari during his time at Maranello. He won the world championship in his first season and he played a vital role in winning the constructors' title in his second year. And, during this difficult season, he at least managed to secure us a victory. »

Luca di Montezemolo ends by affirming that the only reason for Fernando Alonso's arrival at Ferrari is to lead the team to victory, working in harmony with the Scuderia staff. “ We were aware that this was necessary in our way of working and that is why we opted for Fernando. Santander's role? Of course, it's a good thing but it's not the drivers who choose the sponsors. This has never been the case and it never will be. »