Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo regrets that his past contribution to the iconic Italian company's growth and worldwide success was not recognised by current management in the wake of the manufacturer's recent flotation on the public stock market.
Montezemolo, whose career with Ferrari initially started way back in 1973 as the Scuderia's sporting director, guided the house of Maranello's destiny from 1991 until the end of 2014, when a fall-out with current chairman Sergio Marchionne ended the 68-year-old manager's reign.
Under Montezemolo's govern, the Ferrari brand and its products flourished while the Scuderia conquered 14 world drivers' and constructers' titles, the bulk of which were achieved during the Michael Schumacher era between 2000 and 2004.
Speaking recently to the Financial Times on the subject of Ferrari's flotation, the current chairman and CEO of Italian airline carrier Alitalia believes he deserves more credit for his contribution to Ferrari's prosperity.
"When Ferrari went public, of the results they presented, 23 of 24 years were down to me and my people," he said.
"So the least I expected from the owners was an official thank you. I didn’t expect a present because the value [of the company at $9.8bn in the initial public offering] was unbelievable, but at least a thanks."
In addition to his responsibilities with Alitalia, Montezemolo also heads the committee which is attempting to secure the 2024 Olympic Games for the city of Rome.
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