The Ferrari 499P driver who starred in the 1000 Miglia in Florida talks about his career with the Prancing Horse between its beginnings in the south, his passion for football, his current commitment to the Wec and his rivalry-friendship with the Monegasque
April 11, 2023 ( edit April 11, 2023 | 3:20 pm)
– Milan
Ferrari has restarted and for half a century of nothing it has returned to pole position. On first appearance, the 499P to sebring she started in front of everyone. Thanks to Anthony Fire. Who says “What we did will go down in history. The mere fact that Ferrari was back in the championship that day is something that will remain in the books. And to have done it with that result, with pole and final third place was an exceptional thing, a result that gives us so much hope. The race and everything that happened I will always keep inside me “.
A result that surprised you?
“Honestly, given how the car performed in testing, I was confident I could get a good result. But you never know where your opponents are. And so yes, in qualifying it was a bit of a surprise, I didn’t expect to be right in front of everyone”.
For her it was the first time on Hypercar. How and how much is it different from the GT you raced up until last year?
“The fundamental difference is that you are the fastest car on the track, and therefore traffic management changes completely, what counts is wasting as little time as possible overtaking. As for driving, you have much more downforce, the engine is hybrid and therefore has a different delivery. In terms of feeling, it’s something else, more similar to open wheels”.
“Very. I feel very comfortable with it. Which makes me feel serene and allows me to give my all. But in endurance racing the first thing is to have a lot of respect for the car. The important thing is to arrive: the fast lap doesn’t count, what counts is consistency, safeguarding the vehicle, avoiding the curbs. Have everything under control, manage. Then in the last few hours we push, we look for the result”.
If you were to compare it to a Formula 1…
“It’s very different. In Formula 1 you have even more cargo, the car is lighter. The concept is very different. Then there are some similar things in the steering wheel controls that we have the changes with, but only that.”
Let’s go back and tell a little about his career…
“I started in 2003 with karts, at the Torretta Crucoli circuit, 5 kilometers from home, in Cariati, in the province of Cosenza. My brother and my father used to spend there every weekend. In 2012 I started being observed by the Ferrari Driver Academy. With which in 2013 I won my first championship in Formula Renault, then Formula 3, GP2…”.
If he hadn’t been a pilot, what would he have done?
“I started so small that I never thought about it. I have dedicated my whole life to my passion”.
Who was your favorite driver, your role model?
“He was and is Michael Schumacher”.
Was it harder to start, and then get noticed, in the south, away from the competitions that count?
“In fact, the important events are almost always in the north and in Europe. In the south, the references are Sarno and Muro Leccese. It was definitely not easy. I was lucky enough to soon join a team from Reggio Emilia, Top Kart, which has helped me a lot since I was little”.
When was the moment you realized you were better than the other kids?
“More good I don’t think is the right definition. I was lucky enough to get good results at the European Championships, in the World Championships which brought me to the fore with the Ferrari Driver Academy. From there the tests at Fiorano and it all began…”.
And at those European Championships, at those World Cups, there were Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc…
“Between 2010 and 2012 yes, we often challenged each other. In 2011 at the World Championship in Sarno I was on pole, Charles started next to me. He won. There was also Max, there was Ocon…”.
Is that where your great friendship with Leclerc was born?
“Not really: we met in karts, we saw each other. Then I immediately went into a single-seater and for a couple of years we kind of lost touch. Then in 2015 he too joined the Ferrari Driver Academy and from there we began to spend a lot of time together. We also lived together, in Fiorano, in the house that had belonged to Enzo Ferrari”.
Do you think you got what you deserved from your career?
“All kids who start out in karting dream of Formula 1. I had my chances, I couldn’t get there. But right now I feel very lucky: because being part of this project, of Ferrari’s return to the top of endurance after 50 years, makes me very proud. It is a privilege to be part of the Ferrari family. And it also gives me a certain responsibility…”.
And how do you experience this sudden interest in the WEC?
“I think it’s normal. Ferrari’s return could only reawaken interest, everywhere and above all in Italy. We kind of expected it. After all, we are writing history.”
However, his work on the Maranello simulator also continues on Formula 1…
“Yes, development also continues with regard to F1. In addition to the one for the Hypercar. I work on both.”
What do you like to do when you are not on the track or in the simulator?
“Working out, going to the gym, running, playing football, padel…”.
“Football enthusiast and Juventus fan”.
And who wins in padel against Leclerc?
“It depends, we usually play together. Luckily: because neither of us likes to lose. We already have the experiences of the playstation challenges at the time of the FDA, it was always a struggle…”.
And who are the opponents?
“Almost always there is Andrea Ferrari, his physio. It’s the quarter that changes often, it depends on where we are”.
How and to what extent is it necessary to get along with the other members of the crew, in your case with Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen?
“Is the most important thing. It allows you to have a serene atmosphere in the team. And in my opinion it’s one of our strengths, I’m not just talking about our car number 50, I really mean the whole team, therefore also with Antonio, James and Alessandro (Giovinazzi, Calado and Pier Guidi, ed) and of course the GT drivers. We all have the same goal and we try to help each other, to make the team grow. Nicklas was also one of my opponents in the karting days, we’ve known each other for a lifetime”.
Do you do team building? As?
“Yes. We spend a lot of time together, obviously on the track, but not only. Ferrari organizes training camps where we train together. We do cycling, padel, gym, swimming, basketball. But even just spending time together is very useful. Fundamental”.
Considering your mentality it will be hell to play basketball, padel. Who knows what rivalry…
“It never ends until someone just can’t take it anymore”.
“To get the highest result possible. We are new in the category, we must try to seize every opportunity. Personally, then, I want to learn everything I can”
Is a victory within reach?
“We will try”.
April 11, 2023 (change April 11, 2023 | 3:20 pm)
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