Breaking news

Formula 1

'Formula One isn't working' -Montezemolo

Ferrari seriously considering a switch from Formula One to WEC?

Nick DeGroot

Nick DeGroot

Edited: Jun 18, 2014, 5:26 PM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Luca di Montezemolo, Ferrari President

In an interview earlier this week with the Wall Street Journal, Luca Di Montezemolo was quoted as saying, "Formula One isn't working."

There has been a lot of chatter that they are on the verge of unveiling a new LMP1 project and those rumors are only being intensified with Fernando Alonso serving as the honorary starter for Le Mans Saturday. Montezemolo served as the honorary starter himself back in 2009, which was not-so coincidentally, the same time he and the FIA were butting heads over team budget caps.

Di Montezemolo was very animated in the interview and upset with the direction Formula One is going. He feels that FIA is more concerned with efficiency than they are excitement, which he cites as the reason for the decline in TV ratings.

Luca di Montezemolo, Ferrari President

Luca di Montezemolo, Ferrari President

Photo by: XPB Images

I'm sure the struggles of the Ferrari team in the 'new' F1 is part of the reason why he is so frustrated too. He also mentioned his discontent with the rules forbidding any kind of engine development during the season. This may not be happening in the very near future however with Montezemolo throwing out the year 2020 during the conversation.

Ferrari hasn't fielded a factory prototype in sports car racing since 1973. He also stated that running teams in both Formula One and the WEC would be impossible, so a choice would have to be made. The prancing horses have won the overall title at Le Mans on nine separate occasions (1949, 1954, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965).

This isn't the first time Montezemolo has expressed interest in a return to the pinnacle of sports car racing either. It was rumored that they would reveal plans for a new LMP1 program during the annual ACO press conference Saturday. They have suddenly decided to postpone the mysterious announcement to a later, TBD date.

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Read also :

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article Infiniti Red Bull Racing Austrian GP race preview - video

Next article Rubens Barrichello to drive in Silverstone’s 50th Grand Prix parades

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

Nick DeGroot



Kaden Honeycutt: "I put my nuts on the dash" to win Homestead and NASCAR Truck title

NASCAR Truck

NASCAR Truck

Homestead

7 h

Kaden Honeycutt: "I put my nuts on the dash" to win Homestead and NASCAR Truck title



Chase Briscoe leads NASCAR Cup Homestead practice; Larson brushes wall and Reddick wrecks

NASCAR Cup

NASCAR Cup

Homestead-Miami

11 h

Chase Briscoe leads NASCAR Cup Homestead practice; Larson brushes wall and Reddick wrecks



9/11 after 25 years: How NASCAR went back racing following September 11 attacks

Feature

NASCAR Cup

Feature

NASCAR Cup

9/11 after 25 years: How NASCAR went back racing following September 11 attacks

More from

Fernando Alonso



Aston Martin knew before Mexico GP it would not finish, Honda brings new countermeasures

Formula 1

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

Aston Martin knew before Mexico GP it would not finish, Honda brings new countermeasures



Why Honda’s power unit lasted barely five laps in F1 Mexico GP

Formula 1

Formula 1

Mexican GP

Why Honda’s power unit lasted barely five laps in F1 Mexico GP



Fernando Alonso’s idea to ‘save’ F1 before the V8 return – and how realistic it is

Formula 1

Azerbaijan GP

Fernando Alonso’s idea to ‘save’ F1 before the V8 return – and how realistic it is

More from

Ferrari



Ferrari slow on straights, struggling in corners: ‘One of the worst feelings’ for Charles Leclerc

Formula 1

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

48 min

Ferrari slow on straights, struggling in corners: ‘One of the worst feelings’ for Charles Leclerc



Why Toto Wolff sees Ferrari clash as "déjà vu" – and why escalation may be necessary

Formula 1

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

14 h

Why Toto Wolff sees Ferrari clash as "déjà vu" – and why escalation may be necessary



Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment

Formula 1

Mexican GP

Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment

Latest news



Ferrari slow on straights, struggling in corners: ‘One of the worst feelings’ for Charles Leclerc

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

48 min

Ferrari slow on straights, struggling in corners: ‘One of the worst feelings’ for Charles Leclerc



Brodie Kostecki wins Sandown to advance to Supercars finale

Supercars

SUPC Supercars

Sandown 500

1 h

Brodie Kostecki wins Sandown to advance to Supercars finale



Racing Bulls promises "right decision" as Liam Lawson's F1 future remains in doubt

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

2 h

Racing Bulls promises "right decision" as Liam Lawson's F1 future remains in doubt



Kaden Honeycutt: "I put my nuts on the dash" to win Homestead and NASCAR Truck title

NASCAR Truck

NSTR NASCAR Truck

Homestead

7 h

Kaden Honeycutt: "I put my nuts on the dash" to win Homestead and NASCAR Truck title

Feature

Discover prime content



What we learned from Friday practice at the 2026 Brazilian GP

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

What we learned from Friday practice at the 2026 Brazilian GP



How F1’s rules got to be so complex

Formula 1

By Pat Symonds

How F1’s rules got to be so complex



A water park, “not a rock star” and Toto Wolff’s words – Is Kimi Antonelli really a different F1 champion?

Formula 1

By Ronald Vording

A water park, “not a rock star” and Toto Wolff’s words – Is Kimi Antonelli really a different F1 champion?



Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment

Formula 1

Mexican GP

By Filip Cleeren

Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe