Luca Montezemolo...We know how to react

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Ferrari
Luca Montezemolo...We know how to react
By Ferrari Press Group, Italy / Photo by Ferrari, Italy
Aug 26, 2003, 15:30 PST

Maranello, 25th August - “This is a crucial time for Ferrari, as our competitors, denied victory for several years, are very strong. But a performance and incidents like those we witnessed yesterday, must never be repeated and we are all agreed on this.” Luca Montezemolo did not need to sound the charge, Ferrari is tackling the tension by getting on with the job and everyone at Maranello is pulling together.
The Scuderia president arrived at the Gestione Sportiva at 10 this morning, staying until around one in the afternoon, having met all the heads of department. As usual, Montezemolo did not shy away from tackling the problems head on, with determination. “We know very well, as we have always maintained, that staying at the top after four successful years would be very difficult against very strong opponents, denied victory for so long,” said Montezemolo in the Gestione Sportiva. “But after a day like yesterday each one of us must discuss the situation and strive for perfection in every area of activity, working calmly and in determined fashion.”

The President is well aware that his mechanics, engineers and technical staff left the 18th Hungarian Grand Prix with a bad taste in their mouths, but the problems were tackled head on from the start to the finish of the race. “A performance and incidents like those we witnessed in Budapest must not be repeated and everyone in the post-race meeting agreed on this point.” Furthermore he added: “I know I can count on a team which has always reacted without panic in difficult times, working flat out to win.”

As is his habit, Montezemolo looked to the future, refusing to be discouraged and preferring to look on the positive side. “I know we have the best driver in the world in Michael, who still leads the championship and a team-mate like Rubens who even yesterday, while still in the race, showed his true worth. We ask our technical partners to put in an extraordinary effort to respond to the strong competition in order to be as competitive as possible.” Now it is a case of working without recrimination and the idea that the team should not give up seems out of place as that idea is instinctive within the entire team. “It is a crucial moment for Ferrari on the eve of the last three races of the season. It will be a very close fight and we hope that this summer, characterised by record high temperatures which has caused so much suffering, is also over. In Monza I want to see a return to winning form for the Ferrari-Bridgestone tandem, which has won seven world titles and 45 Grands Prix from 1999 until now.”