Zoom Clear views from the Ferrari President

Luca di Montezemolo, the President of the Ferrari marque, has vowed to 'speak with' FIA President Max Mosley about F1's current ban on team orders.

Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa's position swapping in Shanghai last weekend threatened to reignite the debate about team orders, a controversial practice that was disallowed following the furore of Ferrari's actions in Austria six years ago.

Today, top teams including Ferrari and McLaren must be careful that any position-swapping in the interests of the championship is done without the orders originating from the pitwall.

"We will speak with Mosley; we must remove this hypocrisy," Montezemolo told the Italy's sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The important thing is that you do not harm the others, but for the interests of the team, in a team sport, I think it is a beautiful thing.

"Just think of cycling," the Italian said, "when his team-mates gets their sprinter to the line. "

Montezemolo, however, backed the FIA amid the controversy about stewards penalties in 2008, arguing that the officials are right to be hard on driving discretions.

"Maybe some of them have been a bit picky, but I agree, otherwise the Grand Prix would become like the jungle.

"The real problem is with the new circuits that are there just for show. I think Monaco is enough," he said.

Montezemolo also believes Formula One should prioritise its return to North America, following the demise of the US and Canadian rounds.

"It is a problem that must be dealt with seriously by Ecclestone; F1 is a global sport and we must be in North America," he insisted.

Source: GMM
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