Montezemolo slams Ferrari: A team ‘without a soul’ in 2025

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Ferrari’s 2025 campaign may have only just begun, but for former chairman Luca di Montezemolo, the team’s early-season struggles have already triggered deep disappointment.

In Bahrain last weekend, the man who once guided the Prancing Horse during its golden years returned to the paddock for the first time in a decade – only to find a version of Ferrari that he barely recognizes.

Despite a 2024 season that brought five Grand Prix victories and a serious title push from Charles Leclerc, Montezemolo’s comments make no reference to those achievements.

Instead, his focus is squarely on what he sees as a soulless, leaderless iteration of the legendary team.

“This is a team that at certain times lacks a leader, lacks leadership in the broader sense,” the Italian said before last Sunday’s race, speaking to Sky Italia.

While Leclerc lined up on the front row after grid penalties shuffled the order in Bahrain, the tone from Montezemolo remained stern.

“Anyway, I am happy that Leclerc starts from the second row but the race is a different story,” he added, tempering his faint praise with skepticism about Ferrari’s race pace.

A Passion Lost

Since Montezemolo’s departure from Ferrari in 2014, the company has undergone undergone seismic changes, including its spin-off from the Fiat Chrysler group while the Scuderia raced through several management changes before stabilizing under the directorship of team principal Fred Vasseur.

Montezemolo’s visit to the Sakhir paddock – the first since the 2014 Italian Grand Prix – was a moment laced with nostalgia.

“Coming back is an emotion because ten years is a long time, and also because I hope to bring good luck to Ferrari, which really needs it right now,” the former executive told TG1.

Then came the punch to the gut for the team’s current leadership.

“How do I feel as a fan? Sad because I see a team without a soul,” he said. “Ferrari is passion, Ferrari is about working day and night, Ferrari is about never giving up.

“And I am also a little angry because I was hoping that at least this year we would see a truly competitive car from the start.”

Ferrari Remains a Genuine Contender

Ferrari has certainly not hit the ground running in 2025. After three rounds, it trails McLaren by a significant margin, sitting fourth in the constructors' championship with just 35 points.

While Lewis Hamilton snatched a Sprint victory in Shanghai, the team has yet to taste podium champagne in a full Grand Prix this year.

And yet, the picture isn’t entirely bleak. Leclerc and Hamilton both remain genuine contenders on their day, and the team’s 2024 campaign proved it can win.

But Montezemolo’s frustration seems rooted less in the scoreboard and more in the spirit – or lack thereof – within the team he once helped make great.

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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.