Montezemolo gets a painful snub from Ferrari

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Former Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo has not been invited to this weekend's 70 year Ferrari festivities at Monza.

The iconic car manufacturer is pulling out all the stops to commemorate its seven decade existence with special branding on the Scuderia's cars and a series of dedicated events.

Oddly, di Montezemolo, who also celebrated his 70th birthday this week, will be missing from the special occasion.

"I have not been invited to Monza," he told La Gazetta dello Sport.

"But that does not matter much. The main thing is that Ferrari wins again," Montezemolo added.

The Commendatore watches from the Monza parklands

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo's life is intimately linked to Ferrari. The aristocrat and businessman was entrusted by Enzo Ferrari with running the Scuderia in 1974, at just 27-years-old.

It was a successful stint at the helm , with Ferrari winning the world championshi with Niki Lauda in 1975 and 1977.

He then occupied a number of positions within the Fiat empire before he was appointed President of Ferrari by chairman Gianni Agnelli.

Under his guidance, the manufacture continued to prosper while the Scuderia conquered more world titles during a golden period spearheaded by Jean Todt, Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher.

Montezemolo resigned however in 2014 following tensions with new Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.