FERRARI PRESIDENT HITS OUT AT F1 RULES
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has hit out at the current state of Formula 1 during Ferrari's annual dinner with the press at Monza.
The charismatic Italian claims that one-lap qualifying, the single-tyre rule and the tyre war are ruining the essence of Formula 1 and turning its stars into "taxi drivers".
"Every year the rules change and I do not like this current qualifying format," he said.
"It does nothing for the public and nothing for the TV viewers and it is not good for the sport."
"I am old enough to remember some great qualifying, with all the cars on the track at the same time. I remember for example Ayrton Senna taking pole at the very last second here in Monza.
"That is sport that is life. I want competition on Sunday but also on Saturday."
Montezemolo, whose team has struggled to be competitive on Bridgestone's long-life tyres with this year's regulations, claims that the regulation which demands drivers stay on the same tyres for qualifying and the entire race go against the spirit of F1.
"I do not like to have a race where I have to look after my tyres. If I want to change tyres every lap then I should be allowed to.
"I don't know why I should use the tyres I raced with on Sunday to drive home with on Monday!
"I look forward to having F1 with better overtaking but I still think the key problems in our sport is that we need extreme technology and research."
Bridgestone's rival Michelin re-iterated its opposition to the 2008 regulations which call for F1 to have a single tyre supplier.
The French company is expected to announce its withdrawal from the sport during the Belgian Grand Prix next weekend, but unsurprisingly Montezemolo indicated that he would pleased to see tyre's have less influence on the outcome of a race.
"I do not like a championship where tyres are more important than drivers and cars," he said.
"I am not happy to see the crowds and TV viewing figures going down. I don't like to see boring races and I don't like to see super-boring qualifying.
"I am not happy to see "taxi drivers" saving their tyres for the last 20 laps of a race. I am not happy to see this current Formula 1.
