"I see a team without a soul": Former Ferrari lynchpin lays into the team's current state

Former Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo expressed his anger over the state of the Italian team in the 2025 season. The Maranello-based outfit has made a disappointing start to their campaign after finishing off last season on a high with its P2 finish in the Constructors' Championship.

The former world champions were one of the favorites for the 2025 season in both championships, along with McLaren; however, they are languishing in P4 and over 70 points behind the Woking-based outfit. Montezemolo, who oversaw the team's dominance in the early 2000s with Michael Schumacher at the helm, left the organization at the start of the 2015 season.

The 77-year-old, who will attend his first race in a decade, spoke to Formula Passion about the dire condition of the Prancing Horses and termed it as a "team without a soul," expanding:

"Coming back is an emotion because first of all ten years is a long time, then because I hope to bring luck to Ferrari which at the moment really needs it. How do I feel as a fan? Sad because I see a team without a soul.

"Ferrari is passion, Ferrari is working day and night, Ferrari is never giving up. And I'm also a little angry because I was hoping at least this year to see a truly competitive car from the start .”

The Italian team last won a title in 2008 when they secured the Constructors' Championship from McLaren but have failed to replicate the success ever since.

Charles Leclerc analyzes Ferrari's upgrades in Bahrain

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc stated that he believed that the upgraded floor brought by the Italian team for the Bahrain GP was "positive," but also admitted that the deficit to McLaren was "annoying."

In his post-FP2 interview, the Monegasque driver analyzed the session and said, via Motorsport.com:

"We're just not fast enough when we look at the McLaren, they are just on another planet for now. It's annoying but it's the way it is, and it actually motivates me to try and close that gap as soon as possible. They are incredibly fast.

"[The upgrades] are positive, but unfortunately, the gap to McLaren is still big. We've got to maximize the car potential that we have for now. If that means finishing third, fourth, or fifth, I don't know what that will be, but we'll have to take it."

Charles Leclerc finished the FP2 session over half a second behind McLaren driver Oscar Piastri and looked behind the British team in race simulations as well. The Italian team was competitive against Red Bull and Mercedes over one lap and the projected race pace. They would hope for some overnight gains to make further progress.