Luca di Montezemolo, the renowned former president of Ferrari, has voiced a critical perspective on the current direction of Formula 1, particularly its increasing reliance on street circuits. His comments come amidst rumors of Liberty Media planning to introduce a new urban track in Madrid to the F1 calendar, adding to the list of street venues like Jeddah, Baku, Miami, and Las Vegas.
Speaking to Corriere dello Sport newspaper, Montezemolo, 76, expressed his concerns. “I’m passionate about everything about Formula 1, except that there are too many street circuits,” he stated, highlighting a shift in the sport’s traditional racing ethos.
Despite his critique of the proliferation of urban circuits, Montezemolo acknowledged the overall appeal and unpredictability of the sport. He pointed out the current season’s domination by Max Verstappen but reminisced about Ferrari’s era of success, noting, “When Ferrari won, they changed the rules every year to make everything more interesting.”
