Stefano Domenicali lashes out at Ferrari and Charles Leclerc

Stefano Domenicali lashes out at Ferrari and Charles Leclerc

Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula 1, spoke to Sport Mediaset about Ferrari’s false start in the World Championship. “Ferrari has always been a point of reference in Italy and we would miss it but the size of the Formula 1 world has changed,” he said, “Other teams and other drivers have grown. It is clear that when we talk about Ferrari in Italy we are talking about the national team that everyone cheers and everyone has to support but the competition is very strong. Saying ‘we are the…’ is no longer enough. We have to work on weaknesses to grow without entering a dimension that is typical of us, which is that of emotionalism because only with determination do we get out of difficult situations. Even if after only one race you must not be emotional, you must stay focused and with your head down try to solve problems. The talk is zero. Also because from what I saw in the first days of practice the elements to be confident in a year like this are all there.”

“If frustration enters the mental dimension of a great athlete, the problems are others,” he added, speaking of Charles Leclerc. “I think that a great athlete, precisely in these moments, must have the personality to be a point of reference within the team. Charles knows that these are important and decisive years for him, so he has a demand that the team put a car that is the best at his disposal. In the same way he must have the expectation not to make any kind of mistake otherwise the problem becomes bigger. This must be a very important phase for Charles’ future but he must also be very pragmatic because winning with Ferrari has a unique and extraordinary meaning but other teams right now cannot give him a chance to fight for victory. Right now there has to be maximum concentration to work as a driving force within the team that is definitely going through a period that is not easy.”