VIP turnout in London for the Montezemolo documentary premiere
Luca Cordero di Montezemolo could not hide his emotions as his life unfolded on the big screen. The former chairman of Fiat and Ferrari was in an elegant London cinema watching “Luca: Seeing Red,” the documentary dedicated to his career. After the Milan preview, the film had its official gala premiere in the British capital. Just as in Manish Pandey’s film, the spotlight was also on the Ferraris he has always loved: several were parked outside the cinema near Hyde Park, although a couple of them ended up with parking tickets. Even that small hiccup could not spoil the special evening.
The Everyman cinema offered the perfect setting for this journey through Montezemolo’s personal story, while also reflecting fifty years of Formula 1, Italian sport and national culture. Now 78, the former Ferrari and Fiat executive has lived many lives and worn many roles. For the London premiere, everything was prepared in grand style: all five screening rooms at the Hyde Park venue were reserved exclusively for a select guest list. In the main theatre, 175 guests sat alongside Luca Cordero di Montezemolo himself. Among them were Bernie Ecclestone and Stefano Domenicali, representing the past and present of Formula 1, where Montezemolo left a lasting mark. Also present were McLaren boss Andrea Stella, Sauber chief Mattia Binotto, legendary designer Adrian Newey, and Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll. It was a true gala night, with a red carpet at the entrance, banners for the film everywhere, and many colleagues and friends from across Montezemolo’s career paying tribute to him.
The documentary, which features Montezemolo in conversation with Chris Harris, the former Top Gear presenter, is a vivid journey through memories and anecdotes. From stories about Niki Lauda to recollections of Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, the film retraces the past and present of a man who has made a mark in everything he pursued.
Montezemolo’s emotion during the premiere
That emotion was clear even after the screening, when Luca Cordero di Montezemolo joined Chris Harris and director Manish Pandey on stage in the main auditorium for a short interview. Their conversation was broadcast live to the other Hyde Park screens and to 27 additional cinemas across the United Kingdom. Originally only 14 theatres were planned, but tickets sold out so quickly that the number was nearly doubled to meet demand. The former Ferrari president moved between past and present, between his enduring passion for Formula 1 and the fast-paced memories of a lifetime, much like the Ferrari cars he has always cherished.
On stage, when asked which people he would choose if he returned to lead a Formula 1 team, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo explained: “If tomorrow morning I had to go back to work at Ferrari, within a week I would know exactly which people to put in the right positions to be successful. Max Verstappen is clearly the best driver right now, and he proved it once again in the difficult conditions at the recent race in Baku. But even the best driver in the world cannot win alone. Enzo Ferrari used to say that the car counts for 50% and the driver for the other 50%, but today the car makes up 80%. You need to grow as a team.”
That belief has been Montezemolo’s formula for success throughout his varied career—from his early years as Ferrari team manager under the guidance of Enzo Ferrari, to his ventures in the wider business world. It is also the winning formula behind this documentary and its glamorous London premiere, an evening dedicated to Montezemolo, Ferrari red, and the legacy of Formula 1. Even the two parking tickets outside could not overshadow the celebration.
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