Ferrari: Massa better than Hamilton

Eurosport - Sat, 20 Dec 00:09:00 2008

Ferrari would not swap Brazilian driver Felipe Massa for McLaren's Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, president Luca di Montezemolo has said.

FORMULA 1 Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa 2008 - 0

Hamilton, 23, who became the youngest world title-winner after he edged Massa by snatching fifth place on the final bend of November's season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, said last week that he would never leave McLaren.

"Hamilton is a great driver, capable of coming close to the world title in his first year in Formula One and winning it in the second," Montezemolo told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "But with all respect, I wouldn't swap him for Felipe Massa.

"If Massa did not win it this year, we (the team) were to blame. It would have been normal for him to win. He didn't manage to because of our mistakes."

Montezemolo added that there would have been an exodus from F1 if proposals for a standard engine had been approved.

The plan was not included in cost-cutting measures approved last week to help the sport after the global economic crisis led to Honda's withdrawal.

"If the standard engine had gone through for all teams, at least four or five carmakers would have abandoned (F1)," he said. "I mean four or five plus Ferrari, i.e. all of them."

Reuters

Comment 485 - 504 of 564

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. MIKEQ, YOU HAVN'T A CLUE.

    From touronroute, on Sat 20 Dec 10:21AM

  2. Colin, we all know that Mouron/Bernard is the same­ person.

    From Mike, on Sat 20 Dec 9:36AM

  3. Think you posted that one in the wrong thread Colin­ (Mouron/Bernard) again

    From Mike, on Sat 20 Dec 9:11AM

  4. I assume the sleeping driver was Kimee. Which was a­ shame cos he can be quite good when he tries.

    From Mike, on Sat 20 Dec 9:00AM

  5. Who is "someone"? still don't get it.
    You­ can bet your arse on the fact that if what Bernie has­ just said wasn't true Ferrari would have slapped an­ injunction on him, and the publishers, and the story­ would have been pulled immediately

    From Mike, on Sat 20 Dec 8:58AM

  6. MIKEQ,someone sat and read some of your quotes last­ night, his conclusion was, you havn't a clue, dont­ take everything in life what is said, to be true­ because life changes day to day, i,'ve got to tell­ you that there is a sleeping driver.

    From touronroute, on Sat 20 Dec 8:52AM

  7. Don't understand what you mean Mouron "From­ the force"?

    From Mike, on Sat 20 Dec 7:29AM

  8. MIKEQ, once again writing what you know nothing­ about,only what you think youv'e been told, if he­ told you a pack of lies it would on your account still­ be the truth, from the force, what they are doing in­ 2009 , they dont even know themselves.

    From touronroute, on Sat 20 Dec 6:59AM

  9. yes indeed MGA very interesting reading.­ "pitpass.Kom/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art­ _id=36584

    It's amazing the teams get 50% of the­ money, and Grumpy & his mates get the other half. I­ know they should get a decent share for promoting and­ organising the venues, but 50% is outrageous, no wonder­ the small teams struggle. They (Grumpy & Spanky)­ keep changing the rules to try and make the racing more­ exciting and promote overtaking, when the answer is­ simple, distribute the money evenly so that all the­ teams can compete properly. Standard engines my arse,­ it should be standard division of the income and then­ bonus's for points accrued during the season that­ would promote better racing and more overtaking.
    This­ is obviously what Grumpy was afraid of in 2003 when he­ bribed Ferrari, I hope they are proud of themselves.
    I­ wonder how much of the 50% they get.

    From Mike, on Sat 20 Dec 5:42AM

  10. Hey Mouron, Stivsi, Mark S etc I see Bernies just­ admitted to bribing Ferrari financially to scupper the­ breakaway series in 2003.
    How proud you must feel of­ your team now. Your team getting paid off whilst other­ smaller teams collapse through lack of­ funding.
    "Win at all costs" it would appear­ so.

    From Mike, on Sat 20 Dec 4:49AM

  11. Ya.
    ¡Pobrecito!

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Fri 19 Dec 11:45PM

  12. MASSA IS REALLY BETTER THAN HAMILTON

    From Ivson F, on Fri 19 Dec 11:37PM

  13. CLISPYDOG, its meeeeeeeeeeeeee

    From Ivson F, on Fri 19 Dec 11:30PM

  14. ¡Que pasa contigo Tio!
    Bueno pero golf in the kingdon­ no tiene idea para Formula Uno.
    Todo el dia solo habla­ como idiota solo!!!

    From f1junky1000, on Fri 19 Dec 11:30PM

  15. f1junky1000
    ¡Qué fuerte, tío!
    Imagino que a Sr. Golf se­ le escuece lo de Alonso en Mclaren. Y cree las­ historietas de la casa del caballo rampante.

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Fri 19 Dec 11:20PM

  16. CLISPYDUCK, IT IS NOT ME, ARE YOU SO THICK, SOMEBODY IS­ HAVING A BIG LAUGH WITH YOU LOT

    From touronroute, on Fri 19 Dec 11:20PM

  17. Bernard and Mark S are one and the same person ignore­ his comments!

    From f1junky1000, on Fri 19 Dec 11:07PM

  18. golf in the kingdom es un CHUPAPOLLAS.
    I am not a­ McLaren fan but the one thing I know is THERE IS NO­ PROOF to say McLaren stole anything.
    So stop calling­ McLaren thieves in Spanish because my wife is Spanish­ and I am mighty fluent.

    From f1junky1000, on Fri 19 Dec 10:55PM

  19. .....................MC LADRONES...............

    From golf in the kingdom, on Fri 19 Dec 10:49PM

  20. well said Bernard, there are some people on here all­ day, day after day trying there hardest to convince­ people otherwise but you are right it's as plain as­ day, Glock slowed down and went off the dry line to let­ LH past, end of!! get over it people, you are in your­ own little F1 dream world or may be watching a­ completely different race to the majority of us.

    From DC, on Fri 19 Dec 10:42PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account