Montezemolo: The team comes before the drivers

Tuesday 27th July 2010, 07:51  

Ferrari president, Luca di Montezemolo, has reaffirmed today that when you drive for Ferrari, it is the interests of the team that come before those of the individual driver.

Montezemolo said that the Ferrari team have no regrets after ordering Felipe Massa to move-aside and allow team-mate, Fernando Alonso, to take P1 at last week's German Grand-Prix.

"The polemics are of no interest to me," says Montezemolo, "I simply reaffirm what I have always maintained, which is that our drivers are very well aware [that the team comes first]."

The Ferrari boss went on to say that had they allowed the drivers to race, they could have ended up doing a "Red Bull" and taking each-other out, something that Ferrari were not prepared to risk.

"I can well believe that some people might well have liked to see our two drivers eliminate one another, but that is definitely not the case for me or for our fans."

Ferrari were handed a $100'000 fine and are yet to face the World Motorsport Council for the use of team orders, which, under the current sporting regulations (reg. 39.1) is prohibited.

The image accompanying this article has been sourced from it's respective owner and is subject to copyright. Images come courtesy of; mclaren.com, ferrari.com, redbull/getty, mercedesgp.com, forceindiaf1.com, renaultf1.com, toyota, bmw-sauber, williamsf1/lat, lotus and virgin.