Ferrari & Italian Drivers

[Zico]

What about both? Yes, they should do more to support Italian drivers, but they should also get the best drivers then can.

I didn't vote as this is my view also... they should try and employ at least one Italian driver but only if he (or she) .. is an asset to the team.

[Garry Walker]

Ferrari should do the most they can to get good drivers. Them being from Italy is irrelevant.

[ArrowsFA1]

Ferrari should do the most they can to get good drivers. Them being from Italy is irrelevant.

But Ferrari being from Italy obviously is not irrelevant so why shouldn't they do what they can to promote young Italian drivers, or is it that there aren't any good young Italians coming up through the ranks?

[call_me_andrew]

No one ever pressured Renault to hire French drivers or Williams to hire English drivers. Why does Ferrari have to hire Itallian drivers?

[EuroTroll]

I also think it would be too much to ask of Ferrari to have an Italian driver just because he's Italian. Ferrari are too good for that. On the other hand, they could secure a seat for an Italian in a lesser team, as part of an engine deal, say. Lesser teams are where rookies are supposed to prove themselves, aren't they? I know Hamilton is an exception, but generally the principle holds.

[ArrowsFA1]

No one ever pressured Renault to hire French drivers or Williams to hire English drivers.

Mmmmm...I recall the elf programme of the 1960's & 70's that supported many French drivers into F1, very successfully, and ultimately led to Renault becoming the national team of France. Vast numbers of journalists were flown to Kyalami for the 1983 title decider when the nation expected Prost to win the title for Renault. The pressure was certainly on Renault to have French drivers and win with them back then, as it has been on Williams at times.

Why does Ferrari have to hire Itallian drivers?

They don't. No-one is saying they have to but given their dominant position in Italian motor sport they certainly have an opportunity like no-one else to support home grown talent.

I find it hard to believe that there are no good Italian drivers coming up through the ranks who are deserving of support and an opportunity in the same way that McLaren supported Hamilton, and Red Bull have supported many drivers. If a driver who shows potential isn't given the kind of opportunity that Ferrari are capable of offering how can they ever realise their potential?

You can certainly argue that the $m's invested in 'buying in' talent like Schumacher, Raikkonen and Alonso has reaped rewards for Ferrari but couldn't a small proportion of that money be used to find talented Italian drivers who must surely be out there?

[SGWilko]

Mmmmm...I recall the elf programme of the 1960's & 70's that supported many French drivers into F1, very successfully, and ultimately led to Renault becoming the national team of France. Vast numbers of journalists were flown to Kyalami for the 1983 title decider when the nation expected Prost to win the title for Renault. The pressure was certainly on Renault to have French drivers and win with them back then, as it has been on Williams at times.


They don't. No-one is saying they have to but given their dominant position in Italian motor sport they certainly have an opportunity like no-one else to support home grown talent.

I find it hard to believe that there are no good Italian drivers coming up through the ranks who are deserving of support and an opportunity in the same way that McLaren supported Hamilton, and Red Bull have supported many drivers. If a driver who shows potential isn't given the kind of opportunity that Ferrari are capable of offering how can they ever realise their potential?

You can certainly argue that the $m's invested in 'buying in' talent like Schumacher, Raikkonen and Alonso has reaped rewards for Ferrari but couldn't a small proportion of that money be used to find talented Italian drivers who must surely be out there?

I suspect that Ferrari does support young and upcoming Italians in the various Formulae in Italy. However, if none of those Italians are good enough to put in the F1 team, then that is not the blame of Ferrari. As a team, responsible for many millions of sponsor (Philip Morris) money, their remit is to build the best car, and have the best pilot available driving it.

If the best pilot happens to be Italian, then so beit. As it is, they do have 'one of the best' drivers in the team - Alonso.

[ArrowsFA1]

I suspect that Ferrari does support young and upcoming Italians in the various Formulae in Italy...

Let's hope their driver academy does just that in the future.

[Knock-on]

There have been 2 Itallian drivers that have been sponsored by the Ferrari acadamy; Zampieri and Botti

[ArrowsFA1]

There have been 2 Itallian drivers that have been sponsored by the Ferrari acadamy; Zampieri and Botti

Perhaps you mean Mirko Bortolotti 2008 Italian F3 Champion & FIA F2 champion last year. IIRC he didn't do badly in the Williams at the Abu Dhabi young driver test either but doesn't seem to be a part of the Ferrari academy any more.