FORMER Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo would hire Max Verstappen without hesitation if he were still leading the Italian Formula One team.
Speaking after the London premiere of a documentary about his life, the 78-year-old declared Red Bull’s four-times world champion as the clear standout driver.
“Today I have to say, for me, Verstappen is by far the number one,“ said Montezemolo.
He praised Verstappen’s performance in difficult conditions at the recent race in Baku, where the Dutch driver never lost control and avoided mistakes.
Montezemolo acknowledged that the pairing of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc was a very good Ferrari couple but stated Verstappen remains by far the best.
The former Ferrari boss did not mention seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, who replaced Sainz at Ferrari this season.
He also made no reference to current Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur during his comments.
Montezemolo emphasised that if he returned to Ferrari, he would quickly identify the right people for key positions, stressing the importance of teamwork.
He left Ferrari in 2014 after forty years with the team, having been first appointed by Enzo Ferrari himself.
During his tenure, Montezemolo presided over a golden era with legends like Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher, making Ferrari the most successful team in history.
The documentary reveals that triple world champion Ayrton Senna visited Montezemolo’s home days before his fatal 1994 crash at Imola.
Montezemolo shared that Senna expressed a desire to join Ferrari, a move that would have altered Formula One history significantly.
The film premiere attracted numerous Formula One luminaries, including former Ferrari principals and top team bosses.
Designer Adrian Newey, whose cars have consistently challenged Ferrari, attended with Aston Martin’s Lawrence Stroll and Bernie Ecclestone.
Montezemolo expressed happiness for former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto’s new investment in young Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto.
The Italian confirmed he still watches every race, usually alone, and has smashed two televisions in anger over the years. – Reuters