Italian GP: New Start for Ferrari with Fisichella

Monza is, in many ways, a very special circuit for Scuderia Ferrari. It’s the home race, a race rich in history and emotions where the team transcends itself to win in front of its supporters. Ferrari has won 17 of the 58 editions of Monza, far more than any other team. It’s also the weekend where traditionally, the prancing horse announces to the tifosi the drivers for the following season, but that won’t be the case this year.

Giancarlo Fisichella will experience a very special weekend by becoming the first Italian driver at Monza in a Ferrari in 17 years. He will surely be eager to perform well, despite the enormous pressure he will face, but his experience and the KERS should make the task easier. Kimi Räikkönen is the driver in form at the moment. He has scored the most points in the championship over the last three, four, and even five races. Here, he is aiming for at least a fourth consecutive podium, which according to Stefano Domenicali will not be easy.

Kimi Räikkönen – Racing Driver:

« The track is the fastest of the season and the KERS should help us as it did in Spa. We need to use the curbs well, and that hasn’t been the strong point of our cars in recent years. We’ll see what happens starting Friday. We haven’t done the usual tests on the track so it’s difficult to predict anything since the cars haven’t used this aerodynamic configuration so far.

I will have a new teammate, Giancarlo Fisichella. I have always gotten along well with him. He is one of the most experienced drivers, and we will do our best to help Ferrari keep third place in the Constructors’ Championship. The levels of performance have changed from one race to another this year. Several teams, like us, have stopped developing the car, and others are under pressure because they still have goals to achieve. It will be a difficult weekend, but I can promise the fans that we will give our utmost as usual.

Giancarlo Fisichella – Race Driver

« The dream has come true, and now the challenge is really not easy. I’m starting over from the beginning, new car, new team, and a new steering wheel. I found a very open atmosphere here in Maranello. I know that at Monza I can count on two strengths that I didn’t have before. The KERS, which means between 70 and 80 more horsepower, and we could see that was what I was missing last Sunday at Spa when I was behind Räikkönen, as well as the enthusiasm of the Ferrari supporters. I owe it to them to give my best and to use my experience to achieve the best possible result. Although I have my feet on the ground, if I earn my place on the podium or the victory, it will be well-deserved. After the emotion of Friday, I will lower my visor, shift to first gear, and give it my all. »

Stefano Domenicali – Team Principal:

« We know it won’t be easy because our rivals have continued to develop their car, which is not the case for us. Apart from that, it is not a track that suits the characteristics of the F60. But we have to be ready to seize any opportunity to gain an advantage if others make mistakes. »