• Ferrari news

Montezemolo pushing FIA to scrap four-cylinder plan

Luca di Montezemolo used the launch of the Ferrari F150 to air his grievances about F1's future © Ferrari

Enlarge

Related Links

• News:
• 2013 engine regs vital for F1 - Parr
  
• News:
• Ferrari unveils its 2011 car
  

• Drivers:
• Luca di Montezemolo

• Teams:
• Ferrari

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has again called for Formula One to reconsider its shift to four-cylinder engines in 2013.

The FIA is planning to introduce a new formula in two year's time, restricting teams to turbocharged, four-cylinder, 1.6-litre engines that are more fuel efficient. While Montezemolo is not concerned about the introduction of green technologies such as KERS in F1, he is vehemently opposed to halving the number of cylinders.

Ferrari used four-cylinder engines in 1952 and 1953 when the world championship was run to Formula Two regulations, and fitted four-pots to a number of its sports cars in the same decade. However, Montezemolo is against anything smaller than a V6 and said he is in talks with FIA president Jean Todt about reconsidering the shift.

"I spoke to Todt and I'm glad the there is a different climate of dialogue [with the FIA] than in the past," Montezemolo said at the launch of the Ferrari F150. "We're engaged in technological challenges such as the FF [a 4WD Ferrari road car]: a 4-cylinder Ferrari seems absurd to me. We've not even built a 10-cylinder Ferrari and I'm still thinking that a 6-cylinder would have been more in line with the Formula One positioning on the market.

Montezemolo also took the opportunity to address his other F1 bugbear: the ban on in-season testing.

"A sport on such a level can't continue with such an absurd limitation regarding testing, in terms of development and in terms of safety, for our new drivers, who have to involved and have to be able to test."

When asked about the possibility of Sebastian Vettel joining Ferrari when his contract with Red Bull expires, Montezemolo said: "There is absolutely nothing going on with Vettel, apart from the congratulations for a wonderful season and the fact that he knew how to benefit from the last race in Abu Dhabi."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.