“Enzo Ferrari would've never accepted it”: Ex-Maranello team president slams 13x F1 WCC for celebrating third-place finishes

Former Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo has said that founder Enzo Ferrari would have never accepted the team's current situation.

The Italian team have been unable to challenge rivals Red Bull for wins and podiums consistently this season. In 12 races, they have only stood on the podium thrice, courtesy of Charles Leclerc. Ferrari have not looked close to challenging for race wins all season, as Red Bull have produced a very competitive package and are running away with the championship.

Talking to Quotidiano Nazionale, De Montezemolo said that Enzo Ferrari would have never accepted the team celebrating their third-place finish as the team did in Spa:

"You know what I regret? That you celebrate for a third place, like in Spa. This is nothing for Ferrari, and the old man (Enzo Ferrari, ed.) would not have accepted it. Never. You can lose but as protagonists, not as extras.

He also added that Ferrari should keep Charles Leclerc in the team, as he is not the problem:

"I would definitely keep him. He is good, and I don't think there are any drivers stronger than him. But right now, who is driving in the red is the least of the problems,"

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Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc on when he found out that team would struggle in 2023

Charles Leclerc has said that he found out that they would struggle this season at the start of the season during testing.

The Monagesque told Corriere Dello Sport:

“In the first laps of the tests, there was a strange feeling, something didn’t add up in the balance. But only later did I discover that performance was also lacking.

"At the beginning of this season, we had to almost reset our expectations because the car was not at the expected level. But we are very clear on how we need to improve.

Leclerc also spoke about his relationship with team boss Frederic Vasseur:

“If there is something wrong, we discuss it directly. Often what makes me angry makes him angry too. In some cases, I took it more than he thought to be fair.

"I tell him everything without filters, and he does the same with me. It is important that this mentality is spread throughout the team, to be honest with ourselves. Acknowledge mistakes.

It will be interesting to see if Leclerc can win the title under Vasseur.