Ferrari & Italian Drivers

[jens]

Interesting stat #1: From 1989 to 2008 16 of the 19 world karting champions came from Italy. Only one made it to F1.

Actually two, Trulli & Liuzzi.

By the way, I find it quite fascinating that for instance back in 1990 we had 15! ( ) Italians participating in F1 during the season.

[ArrowsFA1]

Actually two, Trulli & Liuzzi.

Ooops murf:

[airshifter]

Easy to say...if you're not italian

Easy for us Americans.... we have no team for drivers to support!

At the end of the day I wish every team could have quality drivers from their base country, but if getting a better driver means going elsewhere that is good for the team. I'm actually surprised that Ferrari hasn't come up with a strong driver development program to support having Italian drivers who are also among the best on the grid.

[odykas]

Who was the last successful Italian driver at Ferrari?
Alboreto?

On the other hand traditions are meant to be broken.

[steveaki13]

As mentioned above it does seem amazing how many drivers we had from Italy back in the early 90s to where we are today.

Although as said its whether its better to have one decent Italian driver or 10 very average ones.

It is just a fact that these days F1 seats are less numerous and harder to come by. 20-24 seats lately as opposed to 30-35 in the early 90s. Thats without all the replacements used through those seasons. 40+ probably.

It does happen through, look at how after years of no French driver now we have 3 to look forward too.

[steveaki13]

Hard to say whether I think it is down to Ferrari though.

On one hand they get so much support and moral from the Italian nation that maybe they do owe it to give young Italians a better chance, but of course as a top flight team, their main target is success which throws that out of the window.

[CNR]

Q o what about a driver's bloodline ?
Italian background, Australian through and through | 2012 Formula 1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix

Joe Ricciardo was born in Sicily but came Down Under at the tender age of seven. His wife Grace was born in Australia but her family hails from Calabria. Since Jarno Trulli lost his race seat to Vitaly Petrov and his Russian roubles, leaving the grid without an Italian driver for the first time since 1970, Daniel Ricciardo might just be the closest thing to it in 2012.

[CavallinoRampante]

I am not surprised if there are no Italians on the grid. Italy's middle class is very poor now, with people earning 1200€ per month, the cost of living skyrocketing (gasoline prices at a world high 2€ per liter) it's hard to back up a son's dream to drive.

This is all due to decades of socialist spending , and public employment being granted in exchange for votes, and corruption in the public health, school, and transport systems.

The money just isn't there anymore, and even if we have VERY talented young drivers in the carting series, it pretty much ends there, no sponsors, no big $$$ to push talented kids to the next level.

Sadly this is the untold truth about current economy in Italy. Having voted against nuclear power (pure idiocy) , and with the tree-huggers blocking all construction of new facilities, like high speed railroads, and tunnes, etc... the country is in a standstill.

Italy will start producing again in 20-30 years, once the left-over communists and socialists pre-cold war, finally die, and once some common sense is put back in the common populace, thanks to immigrants mingling...

[CavallinoRampante]

If you think that Italians have to work a whole month to buy 600 liters of gasoline, that pretty much explains the picture.

That's 160 gallons of gasoline for a full month of work. how's that for buying power?

[wedge]

I am not surprised if there are no Italians on the grid. Italy's middle class is very poor now, with people earning 1200€ per month, the cost of living skyrocketing (gasoline prices at a world high 2€ per liter) it's hard to back up a son's dream to drive.

This is all due to decades of socialist spending , and public employment being granted in exchange for votes, and corruption in the public health, school, and transport systems.

The money just isn't there anymore, and even if we have VERY talented young drivers in the carting series, it pretty much ends there, no sponsors, no big $$$ to push talented kids to the next level.

Sadly this is the untold truth about current economy in Italy. Having voted against nuclear power (pure idiocy) , and with the tree-huggers blocking all construction of new facilities, like high speed railroads, and tunnes, etc... the country is in a standstill.

Italy will start producing again in 20-30 years, once the left-over communists and socialists pre-cold war, finally die, and once some common sense is put back in the common populace, thanks to immigrants mingling...

BBC says otherwise:

So why is Italy in trouble now?

The reason is because its economy is so weak.

Italy is plagued by poor regulation, vested business interests, an ageing population and weak investment, all of which have conspired to limit the country's ability to increase production - problems that Italy's new government of unelected technocrats says it is trying to address.

The country has averaged an abysmal 0.75% annual economic growth rate over the past 15 years.

BBC News - What's the matter with Italy?

Cue BBC liberal bias flaming.