Montezemolo: Ferrari Feels ‘Soulless’ and Should Have Signed Antonelli

Ferrari’s former chief Luca di Montezemolo slams the team’s lack of spirit—and regrets missing out on Italy’s rising star, Antonelli.

Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo didn’t hold back during his rare appearance in the Bahrain paddock this weekend, sharing both disappointment and frustration with the current state of the Scuderia.

Now 77, Montezemolo has often been critical of Ferrari since stepping down, and this visit was no different.

“I see motivated people at Ferrari, which is great,” he said. “Charles Leclerc starting on the front row (after Antonelli’s penalty) shows they can still fight. But this is a tough race—we’ve always struggled with rear tyre wear here.”

Despite that optimism, Montezemolo feels something fundamental is missing.

“Ferrari lacks leadership at times. I say that broadly—but to win consistently, you need time and strong organization. Right now, I see a team with no soul. Ferrari should be passion, tireless work, and never giving up. That’s not what I’m seeing. And honestly, I’m a bit angry. I hoped that by now, we’d finally have a car ready to win from race one.”

He added, with a hint of nostalgia:

“Still, it’s good to breathe the F1 air again after a decade.”

A Lost Opportunity: Antonelli

Montezemolo is particularly disappointed Ferrari didn’t secure Italy’s brightest young talent—Kimi Antonelli—who’s currently racing for Mercedes.

“Antonelli is the real deal. It’s his rookie year, and he’s fast, consistent, and shows real potential. Plus, he’s from Bologna—like me. I’m genuinely sad to see him in a Mercedes. Would I have taken him at 18? Maybe not straight into Ferrari, but I’d have placed him at Sauber for a couple of years. Toto saw the potential—just like McLaren did with Lewis.”

Bahrain vs Suzuka, and Old Friends

As for the racing itself, Montezemolo expects more excitement under the lights in Bahrain than the upcoming race in Japan.

“Lando Norris will be on the attack—it’s shaping up to be a great Grand Prix. And it’s been nice to catch up with old faces—Toto Wolff, Helmut Marko… even if we clashed in the past, everyone’s been really warm.”

Though he didn’t get a chance to speak with Lewis Hamilton, the British driver’s future at Ferrari is also a subject of debate—especially for former team principal Mattia Binotto.

Binotto: Is Hamilton Still Fast Enough?

Now leading the Sauber/Audi F1 project, Binotto has openly questioned Ferrari’s decision to swap Carlos Sainz for the seven-time world champion.

“Lewis brings passion, excitement, and unmatched experience to Ferrari,” Binotto said. “But will that be enough? We don’t yet know how fast Lewis still is—and only the first few races will tell.”

“It’ll be interesting to see how he stacks up against Charles Leclerc. That dynamic will answer a lot of questions—ones I’m not going to speculate on right now.”

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Montezemolo: Ferrari Feels ‘Soulless’ and Should Have Signed Antonelli Montezemolo: Ferrari Feels ‘Soulless’ and Should Have Signed Antonelli