Montezemolo compares Ferrari’s 2024 highs to Alonso’s heartbreak in 2010, highlighting a season of resurgence and tantalizing near-misses.
Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo revealed that Ferrari’s performance in the final Grand Prix of the 2024 season in Abu Dhabi made him “feel bad” for Fernando Alonso.
Montezemolo’s guilt stems from Alonso narrowly losing the 2010 Drivers’ World Championship to Sebastian Vettel by just four points.
At the time, Alonso, racing for Ferrari, spent much of the 2010 season finale in Abu Dhabi stuck behind Vitaly Petrov’s Renault, ultimately finishing seventh.
To clinch his third world title that year, Alonso needed to finish fourth, a plausible outcome given his third-place start on the grid.
Unfortunately, Alonso failed to pass Petrov, who defended brilliantly.
What reminds Montezemolo of Alonso is Ferrari’s strong showing in the final race at Yas Marina.
“Formula 1 has truly become a competition spanning all continents.”
“The 2024 championship was unpredictable, and in the end, there’s something positive in seeing Ferrari capable of winning at the last GP. When I saw that, I thought of Alonso in 2010—I feel bad. A fourth place would have been enough back then.”
“Ferrari has had its ups and downs this year, but it has improved significantly, fighting until the end for the Constructors’ World Championship.”
“There are the early signs of a strong championship in 2025; let’s hope it’s the one. Then in 2026, we’ll start from scratch.”
Max Verstappen also received praise from Ferrari’s former president.
“There are great champions, and then there are champions like Sofia Goggia in skiing, Federica Pellegrini in swimming, or Jannik Sinner in tennis.”
“In F1, Verstappen is a champion. He has always been very strong, even from his early days in karting.”
“This year, he had to give it his all: his car was inferior to McLaren’s and, in some cases, even to Ferrari’s. So, it’s a truly remarkable title he managed to secure.”
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Ferrari’s Journey: Montezemolo Recalls Alonso’s Narrow 2010 Loss Ferrari’s Journey: Montezemolo Recalls Alonso’s Narrow 2010 Loss
