The former Ferrari president and passionate supporter of Bologna football club allowed himself a sharp and ironic remark, touching once again on the long-standing frustration surrounding the Scuderia’s lack of success in Formula 1.
New hopes, same old promises
As has often been pointed out during the season, Ferrari fans once again found themselves hearing the now infamous phrase: “Next year will be the right one.” It is a sentence that has echoed repeatedly over the past decade and a half, becoming almost symbolic of the Scuderia’s unfulfilled ambitions.
A new regulatory cycle and new technical opportunities are once again being presented as reasons for optimism, with the hope that the long-awaited moment of redemption will finally arrive. Ferrari supporters continue to dream of adding a new line to the list of world titles, a list that has gathered dust over the years.
The most recent entries remain those of 2007 in the Drivers’ Championship, won by Kimi Räikkönen, and 2008 in the Constructors’ Championship. Since then, despite flashes of competitiveness and occasional strong seasons, the Maranello team has been unable to return to the very top of Formula 1.
Montezemolo’s bitter joke
Speaking to Leo Turrini in Quotidiano Nazionale about the Italian Super Cup final between Bologna — the team he has always passionately supported — and Napoli, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the last president to oversee a truly successful era at Ferrari, could not resist adding a pointed remark about the Maranello team.
“Who will win first, Bologna the Scudetto or Ferrari the Formula 1 world championship? With the way things are going in Maranello, Bologna will get there first…” Montezemolo said, delivering a line that was as ironic as it was cutting.
The comment reflects a sense of disillusionment that many Ferrari fans share, especially when it comes from a figure so closely associated with the team’s golden years. Luca di Montezemolo’s words carry particular weight given his role in shaping Ferrari’s most dominant era in modern Formula 1 history.
A historic drought for the Scuderia
For context, Bologna’s last Serie A title dates back to 1964, underlining just how provocative Luca di Montezemolo’s comparison really is. Yet there is another statistic that makes the joke even more uncomfortable for Ferrari supporters.
The period from 2008 to 2025 represents the longest title drought in Ferrari’s history when considering both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. The previous longest winless stretch, from 1983 to 1999, lasted 16 years, although Ferrari did manage to secure Constructors’ titles during that period.
By contrast, the current drought has extended even further, reinforcing the perception that Ferrari’s struggles are unprecedented in the modern era of Formula 1. Luca di Montezemolo’s remark, while delivered with humour, highlights a deeper frustration about the team’s inability to convert potential into championships.
As Ferrari prepares for future seasons under new regulations and renewed expectations, comments like these serve as a reminder of how far the Scuderia still has to go to reconnect with its winning past.
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