Maranello, 21 August

There is great anticipation about the cinematic release of “Rush”, the film directed by Oscar-winner Ron Howard about the sporting rivalry and relationship between James Hunt and Niki Lauda in the dramatic and emotional 1976 season. One of the main players in that era of Formula 1 history was Luca di Montezemolo, who was then the Scuderia’s sporting director during his first experience at Maranello. The magazine “Chi” asked Ferrari’s president to remember those years in an article published in the edition that hit the news stands today:
“My first four years at Ferrari – from 1973 to 1977, when I was the Scuderia’s sporting director – will always be unforgettable. Those five titles in three seasons were my first professional successes but it wasn’t just that: it was the chance to work with an extraordinary person like Enzo Ferrari and to get to know people with whom I built a relationship based on respect and affection, such as Niki Lauda.

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Maranello, 22nd April 2009

Once again this year, Scuderia Ferrari and the ACI-CSAI will organise a day of testing, using the Formula 1 car, aimed at evaluating young talent from the world of Italian motor sport.

Getting behind the wheel of a Ferrari F60 will be the top three finishers in the 2009 Italian Formula 3 Championship. During the day, they will work alongside engineers from the Scuderia in a proper day of testing work.

“We are proud to continue our collaboration with the ACI-CSAI,” commented Scuderia Team Principal, Stefano Domenicali. “The development of motor sport for youngsters is a theme that is particularly close to our hearts and we believe this day of testing is a further boost to generating interest in a championship that continues to grow.”

Maranello, 16th December

Circuit: Autodromo Internacional do Algarve - 4.692 km
Drivers: Luca Badoer and Marc Gené
Car: F2008
Weather: air temperature 11/15 °C, track temperature 10/17 °C. Sunny, very windy..

Second day of testing this week for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, working once again today at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, near Portimão, in southern Portugal.

Today, the 2008 championship winning team fielded its two official test drivers, Italian, Luca Badoer and Spaniard, Marc Gené. The two drivers continued with working on finding the best set-up for the car fitted with 2009 spec tyres and on evaluating new solutions for next season. Luca also proceeded with the endurance test of the engine, which began last week.

The day in figures is as follows: 71 laps for Badoer (best time 1.31.320) and 51 for Gené (1.33.076)

Tomorrow is the final day of testing at this circuit: on track will be Luca Badoer

Spy scandal hearing leaves drivers' contest untouched

(ANSA) - Paris, September 13 - The International Automobile Federation cancelled all McLaren's points in the Formula 1 constructor's championship on Thursday at a Paris hearing into the sport's spying controversy.

The ruling means that Ferrari will almost certainly now win the constructors' championship, which McLaren was leading by 23 points after last weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

Under the ruling, McLaren's drivers - championship leader Lewis Hamilton and reigning world champ Fernando Alonso - were allowed to keep their points in the drivers' championship.

FIA said this was because they had provided evidence in the investigation.

McLaren, which was accused of using leaked Ferrari information to enhance its racing cars, was also fined 100,000 dollars by the governing FIA's World Council.

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No favouritism, team says, as championship hopes flare

(ANSA) - Istanbul, August 27 - Ferrari, whose two drivers are separated by a single point in the championship standings, said on Monday it had no intention of favouring either one for tactical reasons.

Ever since the start of the season, questions have been asked about which of Ferrari's drivers - Brazilian Felipe Massa and Finn Kimi Raikkonen - was the team's number one.

Now, with five races to go, the question remains unanswered and the standings show that neither Massa nor Raikkonen is ideally placed to win the 2007 drivers' title.

But Ferrari Managing Director Jean Todt said this did not mean the team would adopt a strategy of favouring one in the hope of propelling him to the top of the standings at the expense of the offer.
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Italian team mulls next move after spy ruling

(ANSA) - Maranello, July 27 - Ferrari said on Friday that a decision by Formula 1 authorities to let McLaren off on spying charges was far from being the end of the matter.

Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo appeared to hint that the Italian team could appeal against the ruling, which admitted McLaren had been in possession of secret Ferrari information but imposed no penalty.

"I want to say to the fans that are contacting Ferrari from all over the world that they can relax because this business isn't going to finish here," Montezemolo said.

The Ferrari chief said fans had been "offended" by Thursday's ruling.

Meanwhile, Ferrari Managing Director Jean Todt said legal action against the Ferrari informer and against the suspended McLaren staffer who received the information would move ahead.
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New car and new team mark a new era at the Scuderia

(ANSA) - Maranello, January 12 - Scuderia Ferrari will unveil its new car for the 2007 Formula 1 season on Sunday at its Fiorano test track, it was confirmed here.

Although no one knows what it will look like, the team said it had pushed technical restrictions "to the limit".

"It's an innovative car. Because our rivals are so strong, we have had to work on the aerodynamics, suspension and materials and I think we have a good starting point," Ferrari's new technical director Mario Almondo explained.

"In doing this we had to push our interpretation of the regulations to the limit. There is a new gearbox and there are a few major technical innovations," he added.

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Jean Todt promoted, top technician and tactician move on (ANSA) - Maranello, October 26 - The break-up of the 'dream team' which steered Ferrari to glory in recent years became clear on Thursday as the group confirmed a series of appointments and job switches .

Racing team chief Jean Todt, who joined Ferrari in 1993 and has been a key architect in its subsequent triumphs, is to take over the chief executive position held until now by Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo .

The 60-year-old Frenchman will keep his role as team chief, but only 'ad interim', Ferrari said in a statement, implicitly indicating that he will soon be leaving the racing team .

The statement also said that race tactician Ross Brawn is now to concentrate on his "private life" and Paolo Martinelli, the chief engine technician, has stepped down and is to take a executive post at Fiat .

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Ex-Ferrari driver made a 'Commendatore' of the Republic (ANSA) - New York, October 24 - Racing legend and former Ferrari driver Mario Andretti has been given the prestigious Italian title of 'Commendatore della Repubblica' for his contribution to the sport .

Andretti, who was born in an area of the Istrian peninsula which was later handed over to Yugoslavia, is the second Italian from the world of auto racing to receive this recognition after Enzo Ferrari .

He is the only driver to have won the Indianapolis 500, the Dayton 500 stock car race, the Champ car title and the Formula 1 championship, with Lotus in 1978 .

The 66-year-old driver, who emigrated to the United States in 1955, received the recognition from the Italian consul in New York, Antonio Bandini .
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A major post-Schumacher team reshuffle is expected (ANSA) - Maranello, October 23 - The closing of the Formula 1 season on Sunday marked the beginning of a new era at Ferrari, the details of which remain unclear .

The only things that are certain at Ferrari are that Michael Schumacher has retired from racing and next year's driving team will be made up of Felipe Massa, the winner of Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix, and new arrival Kimi Raikkonen .

According to Ferrari team principal Jean Todt, "a new era has begun and we will announce a number of organizational changes in the near future. Although the team may change, our objectives will remain the same" .

Todt confirmed that Schumacher, after ten years and five titles, would remain with Ferrari but he did not spell out what the seven times world champion would do .

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