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Former Ferrari F1 Boss Joins McLaren BoardLuca Di Montezemolo, former manager of Scuderia Ferrari’s F1 team, has joined rival McLaren’s board. The move is mind-blowing for many, but it signals a gigantic shift in the industry since such a hiring decision would’ve been unthinkable just a few years ago.
Neighbors take man to court for his backyard go-kart track.
The appointment of Di Montezemolo to McLaren Automotive’s director of the board was made on June 27, making him the ninth person to hold the lofty position. He now holds incredible influence inside one of Britain’s most prominent automakers, which is attached to its most successful F1 team.
The Italian, who is 77-years-old, started working for Ferrari in 1973 as Enzo’s personal assistant. He was quickly made the F1 team manager in 1974, just one year before Niki Lauda won his first world champion title.
It was Di Montezemolo who has been credited with Ferrari’s resurgence in F1 back in the late 90s. He served in the position of chairman all they way until 2014.
In other words, the man has an incredible track record, but some McLaren faithful will view him suspiciously.
But some Ferrari faithful are taking the news as a sign of betrayal. For example, ESPN says Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport ran the following headline: "Montezemolo-McLaren: What a slap in the face to Ferrari.”
Di Montezemolo told Italian news outlet ANSA, "My heart is and will always remain red, I have become a board member of McLaren Automotive, which produces road cars, and is not involved in F1.”
The strange reality is the automotive industry, which includes factory-backed motorsports, is inherently incestuous by nature. Many people, including at the executive level, will move from one automaker to another, often between fierce rivals.
But Ferrari and McLaren have been more bitter rivals than most, so this is truly a momentous occasion.
Image via McLaren
