http://sg.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080930/tsp-motor-racing-ferrari-montezemolo-81ea673.html
MILAN, Sept 30 - Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo
has poured scorn on Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix, saying the
"circus" track and the use of the safety car had been humiliating
for Formula One.
Formula One's first night race drew rave reviews from
participants and onlookers, including the sport's delighted supremo
Bernie Ecclestone, but was one to forget for the Italian team.
Brazilian title contender Felipe Massa had his race ruined by a
bungled pit stop while faltering world champion Kimi Raikkonen
crashed near the end.
"When we race on tracks which should be used for the circus,
anything can happen including the spectacle of the Safety Car,"
Montezemolo was quoted as saying in Tuesday's Gazzetta dello Sport
newspaper.
"All this is humiliating for F1 and it is an aspect I want to
talk about with the other teams in the next few weeks."
Singapore saw two safety car interventions, the first of which
turned the race upside down and contributed to Spaniard Fernando
Alonso's unexpected victory for Renault.
Montezemolo, appointed this month as the first chairman of the
Formula One Teams Association, said before the race that street
circuits and the lack of overtaking opportunities were not the
right way forward for the sport.
Ferrari's failure to score any points in Singapore meant
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, third behind winner Fernando Alonso,
extended his championship lead over Massa to seven points with
three races left.
Finn Raikkonen is out of contention but Montezemolo still
sounded confident.
"We have the best Ferrari, Massa is the best. I expect...
Raikkonen to show he is world champion in the remaining races, to
help Massa, to race for the good of the team and to finish in front
of the McLarens," he said.
The team president also backed the mechanics who gave Massa the
green light during a pit stop despite the fuel hose still being
attached to the car as he sped away.
"We have extraordinary mechanics who in other occasions have
swung results our way. We must stay close to each other because
Ferrari are always world champions and are still in the running to
win," Montezemolo added.
