Luca di Montezemolo, the legendary former Ferrari chairman who presided over the Scuderia’s golden era, has no doubts about who rules the Formula 1 grid today.
At Thursday’s glitzy London premiere of ‘Luca: Seeing Red’, a documentary chronicling his storied career, the 78-year-old Italian declared Red Bull’s Max Verstappen as the undisputed king of the sport.
With a resume that includes overseeing Ferrari icons like Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher, Montezemolo didn’t hold back when asked who he’d pick to lead Ferrari if he were still calling the shots.
“Today I have to say, for me, Verstappen is by far the number one,” he declared, his admiration for the four-time world champion crystal clear.
The Italian pointed to Verstappen’s flawless performance at the recent Baku Grand Prix as exhibit A.
“Even in the last race in Baku, difficult conditions, he never lost control. He was always quick. He never makes a mistake,” he add, marveling at the Dutchman’s ice-cold precision.
Although he praised Ferrari’s former driver pairing of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, Montezemolo was adamant that Verstappen stands in a class of his own.
“Sainz and Leclerc was a very good (Ferrari) couple. But no question, Verstappen is by far the best in my view. By far,” he said.
A Vision for Ferrari and a Nod to Binotto
Thursday evening’s premiere, attended by F1 heavyweights like Bernie Ecclestone, former Ferrari team principals Stefano Domenicali and Mattia Binotto, McLaren’s Andrea Stella, Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll, and design guru Adrian Newey, was a fitting stage for Montezemolo’s reflections.
While he steered clear of criticizing Ferrari’s current leadership or Lewis Hamilton’s challenges in red, the Italian hinted at his knack for shaking things up.
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“If tomorrow morning I will be obliged to go to work in Ferrari, in one week I have clear in my mind who to put in different positions,” he said confidently, suggesting he’d have the Scuderia’s org chart sorted faster than a pit stop.
Montezemolo also took a moment to tip his hat to Binotto, Ferrari’s former team principal now leading Audi’s charge into F1.
“I am happy now for Binotto… he is investing in the future with a good Brazilian young driver (Gabriel Bortoleto), looking ahead,” he said.
A Legacy of Legends and What-Ifs
Directed by Manish Pandey, the mastermind behind the acclaimed 2010 ‘Senna’ documentary, ‘Luca: Seeing Red’ dives into Montezemolo’s tenure at Ferrari, where he turned the team into F1’s most successful outfit.
The film also unearths a poignant moment from 1994, when Ayrton Senna visited Montezemolo’s Bologna home just days before his tragic death at Imola.
The great Brazilian confided his desire to race for Ferrari, a move that Montezemolo believes would have rewritten F1 history.
As Ferrari looks to reclaim its throne and Audi gears up for 2026, Montezemolo’s words resonate: in a sport driven by precision and passion, Max Verstappen is the gold standard, and the Italian’s endorsement is as good as a checkered flag.
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