Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa: what it means to drive for Ferrari

Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa are two of the best-known Ferrari drivers of all time. Although failing to win a WDC for the Scuderia in some of the toughest years for the Prancing Horse, they are regarded as two of the brightest stars in Maranello history. Both have now left the F1 paddock, challenging themselves in Formula E (Massa) and WEC among many other championships (Alonso). However, fate would have it that they both released two separate interviews on the challenges of driving for the guys in red at the same time. Let’s see what they had to say.

“It’s never easy when you’re under pressure”

In an exclusive interview for the Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera, Fernando Alonso was asked to comment on Sebastian Vettel’s performance this year and his difficulties in beating Hamilton’s Mercedes. In the past few months, many commentators argued that Alonso would have won at least another WDC for Ferrari had he had as competitive a car as Vettel. Fernando, however, knows all too well what Sebastian’s been through.

It’s way too easy to talk about this stuff from an outside perspective. Who is at the top of their game always fights for the win and always has everything to lose. And we all make mistakes. Maybe Sebastian has lost some valuable points this season, but so did Hamilton, and he still did better than Kimi Raikkonen. He fought until the very end, and he’s a true champion. When he won four WDC everybody praised him as a superstar and know they do the same with Hamilton. Truth is, it’s never easy when you’re under pressure as much as he is now.

“Ferrari’s obligation to win is a problem”

At the same time, Felipe Massa had another exclusive interview, this time for Autosport.com. In the piece, he highlighted the historical relevance of the Prancing Horse in motorsport and the burden that comes with it.

“A lot of things happen in a difficult way inside Ferrari in terms of pressure. They feel this a lot. The inside of the team was always like this. There was a time that they felt less because they had more results, in the time of Jean Todt. […] After this, things happened in a very different way. Ferrari now is always feeling the pressure and the obligation to win, and this is a problem.”

The future of Scuderia Ferrari

Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa shared a quite controversial and at times tense relationship in the team. Felipe never settled as a #2 driver, and the never ending chase to Red Bull Racing in their years for Ferrari took a toll on everybody. However, they tend to agree when describing team dynamics and when speaking their minds on Ferrari’s future. Namely, they were both very positive when commenting Charles Leclerc and Mattia Binotto’s new roles in Maranello. They knew Binotto in his technical roles during their time as teammates, and they both believe he has the composure and the authority to run the team efficiently without falling victim to the pressure. They’ve also praised Maranello’s choice in nurturing Leclerc and giving him an early chance in the main team. That comes as no surprise, though, since they both aren’t very fond of Kimi Raikkonen…

Having said all that, Fernando and Felipe will always have a special place in the tifosi’s hearts, and we’re all very eager to see their certain success in the new endeavours they’re taking upon.

Talking With Professional Broker And Ferrari Historian Andreas Birner

1962 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider SWB (#4095GT)

Andreas Birner is a professional broker from Germany and worked with a lot of astounding historical Ferraris throughout the years. We asked him about his passion for the brand and how he started out.

Photography: Andreas Birner, Collection Technisches Museum Wien

Could you tell how you became the Ferrari historian and professional broker you are today?

‘‘I became interested in Ferrari in 1985 at the age of ten (I was born on December 26, 1974). I began to “spot” (as we would call it in today’s language) Ferrari when on holiday at fancy places like Monaco or Munich, or I asked my parents to drive me to dealers which had a nice Ferrari inventory. Through some of my first Ferrari books (“Ferrari Legend” by Antoine Prunet and “Ferrari 250 GT Competition” by Jess Pourret) I learned very early that the chassis number of a rare car is very important because it is the key to its individual history.

In 1991, shortly after I had turned 16, I joined the “Ferrari Model Club” in Germany which published a monthly magazine. My “colleague” Marcel Massini was very active as a writer in that magazine and, needless to say, his articles usually included MANY Ferrari serial numbers and were very precise most of the time. I understood that just taking photos of Ferrari was not sophisticated enough and would have a very limited value of information in the future. Thus I started to compile a database in my computer by serial number, collecting all accessible information on each individual history of a Ferrari. I focussed on Ferrari road cars from 1947 through 1980 because I had the impression that the histories of the important race cars had already been researched by knowledgeable Ferrari historians like Marcel Massini, Gerald Roush, Alan Boe or David Seielstad, to name a few.

But there were so many road cars of which the individual histories were still completely or widely unknown. And I started to write articles for the magazine of the Ferrari Model Club, as well as for the German issue of “Ferrari World” and soon even in English language for “Cavallino” and “Prancing Horse”. Through research, through my articles and through visits to Ferrari events I got to know more and more Ferrari people, and they kept telling me which cars they would love to own in the future and for which cars they were thinking about selling. At the age of 19, I managed to broker my first Ferrari, a 250 GTE. I continued to do so while in university, and eventually turned this passion into my business.’’

Where does your interests for Ferrari come from?

‘‘My interest was clearly ignited by the design of the cars, especially of the late 1950s and 1960s Ferrari models. The sound and the pleasure of driving them of course added to this; luckily I had found some very relaxed and generous supporters who occasionally allowed me to drive their classic Ferrari sports cars, and thus I was able to experience a 250 GT Coupé Boano and a 365 GTB/4 Daytona from the driver’s perspective at the age of 19, and soon after I was allowed to drive a 330 America, a 365 GTC and a 328 GTS, followed by a 308 GTS QV, another 328 GTS, a Dino 246 GT etc. etc. I am extremely thankful for this incredible support.

One thing which is extremely fascinating about Ferrari to me is the number of different models and variations which were built by this small company! The sheer variety of different models makes the history of this small manufacturer incredibly versatile. The mix of design and history keeps the subject “Ferrari” interesting for me on a daily basis.’’

You sold and bought tons of Ferraris through the years, but is there one that was a highlight for you?

‘‘There were several highlights… [Pictures of these cars are pictured throughout this article, including chassis numbers]

First of all I would like to mention that I sold several 250 GT California Spider SWB, which is my personal favourite model among the road cars. Among them was the prototype for the SWB Cal Spider, s/n 1795GT, which I sourced through a friend in California.

The greatest race cars which I handled were a 375 MM Spider Pinin Farina and a 250 LM. Another highlight was the sale of an entire collection consisting of several Ferrari and some rare Mercedes-Benz models; I brokered the entire collection from the heirs to an investor.

And the last one I would like to mention here was one of the few 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione “SEFAC HotRod” which I sourced on the U.S. East Coast in 2010 and which I resold in a package with a 250 GT California Spider SWB in 2012.’’

You are given the opportunity to pick three Ferraris. Which three would be in your garage, regardless of the price tags?

‘‘It’s very tough to pick only three for me… I give it a try:

Dino 308 GT4. I simply got smitten by this model, after I had really disliked it at an early stage of my passion. As you know, I currently have two in my garage – a Series I and Series II example. One is medium metallic green, the other one brown. I would keep one of them, no matter which. But whichever 308 GT4 I would own, it would need to have a typical 1970s colour, like the ones which I already own.

250 GT California Spider SWB Competizione, s/n 2383GT [period photo pictured above]; it should be this particular chassis number because s/n 2383GT unites my ultimate dream Ferrari with a German racing history! I would have it restored back to its original silver-grey livery.

F40. The icon. My poster car. Anybody who was born in the 1970s will understand me without further questions. Together with the 288 GTO, these are the ONLY two Ferrari models which I would like to own in red, simply because they were originally only available in red, and originality is very important to me.’’

You drive a brown Dino 308 GT4 yourself. Could you explain why this particular Ferrari caught your interests?

‘‘I found my brown one via www.mobile.de in early 2013. It was for sale in Como and had been advertised for quite a long time. At this time, my 456M GT was my only personal Ferrari. I wanted to add a classic one which I could afford. This 308 GT4 was ridiculously cheap, it was soooo 1970s in brown and it looked like a proper example (this wild guess has later proven as being very correct!).

Furthermore, it would allow me to take part in many different events, including the annual Dino Tour of my friend Matthias Bartz. I had been told by knowledgeable people before that the 308 GT4 was actually an insider tip, because of its fantastic handling. And last but not least, I am quite chubby, but the GT4 offers a lot of space and is very comfortable for me to drive.’’

What advice would you give people that want to become a Ferrari Historian/Broker?

‘‘Start to collect information by serial number in a very professional way. Collecting photos and sorting them by registration plate will not help. Registration plates change, the chassis number is the key to everything. And start to specialise in a few models; in the surprisingly wide Ferrari market, there are still niches for upcoming specialists.’’

EXCLUSIVE – Callum Ilott: “F2 would be my plan for 2019”

Exactly a week ago Antonio Giovinazzi was finally confirmed as the new Sauber driver, partnering Kimi Raikkonen from the 2019 Formula One season onwards.

With this move Ferrari has confirmed his ability to provide every driver joining their junior program, Ferrari Driver Academy, serious career opportunities. That’s why ROSSOautomobili has started a series of interviews wih the brightest rising stars in Maranello, the young Academy members. After starting it out with Marcus Armstrong, we’ve had the chance of asking a few questions to Callum Ilott, 19-year-old GP3 talent currently racing with ART Grand Prix.

Callum, you have been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy for almost a year now. How would you sum up the experience so far? How would you say it helped your development as a driver?

“Being part of the FDA has been very positive for my development in a number of ways. First, it has given me structure and plan to my activities and preparation. That’s something I haven’t really benefitted from until this season. Now, most of my time is filled with activities from the FDA. That might be time on the simulator, physical training, Italian language lessons or one of the number of training camps we attend together. The support extends to race weekends too. Massimo Rivola, who leads the Academy, is at my events along with Marco Matassa, an FDA engineer to support me. It’s been useful in my rookie GP3 season to have another pair of eyes and ears there. The other aspect I’ve mentioned several times is the ‘family’ approach.

This was one of the things that initially attracted me to the FDA when the opportunity came up last year. All the FDA drivers work and train together and I’ve even got a few drivers living in the same apartment block as me, so there is the chance to socialise together. When you are a young driver, you can be isolated, living at home. At the FDA, there are guys around all the time. It’s different to other programmes but it seems to work.”

How would you describe your relationship with the fellow FDA drivers? Is it particularly influenced by competition or do you prefer a constructive, collective approach?

“Because we work on our development programmes together, it’s more of a collective approach. Of course, some of us are rivals on track and even driving for different teams in the same series, but the culture Massimo and his team have created means we can train and work together. It’s a good life lesson too.”

If given the chance, how do you think you would perform in F2? You’ve already raced with Trident last year in your home GP, are you still in contact with them for a possible transition or would you continue your path with ART?

My F2 was a real baptism of fire, with no preparation but I loved that car and the extra power! I literally did the deal on the Tuesday before the race and spent a couple of long nights reading the car manual. There wasn’t even time for a run on the simulator and I ended up doing the seat fit in the garage. Pace was good and I enjoyed the car, I think it suited me, having a bit more power. It was just a shame the rear wing element broke in qualifying as I think I could have actually been higher up the grid. I’d had no experience of DRS, pit stops and the Pirelli rubber.

The tyre management is such a big thing and I just needed a bit more experience to know when to push and when to conserve the tyres. It’s been a big learning from this season in GP3 so I’m confident I could do the job in F2 when I get there.

The nice thing from that weekend was that Trident’s team principal Giacomo [Ricci, ed.] was super impressed with my pace and approach. He’s an ex-racer so he knows what I achieved by just hopping in the car and doing what I did.

F2 would be my plan for 2019 but I’ve made no final decision on this. It’s been pretty interesting to see how everyone is getting on with the new car, hasn’t it?

Is there a driver on the current F1 grid whom you consider an inspiration and/or a role model?

“No, not really. I respect their achievements and I appreciate how much work and effort they have put in to reach there. Getting to F1 is inspirational in itself as it is so tough to reach but no, I don’t have a particular role model.”

Do you have any particular pre-race ritual you like to perform?

I don’t have any real rituals or superstitions around the car. Key for me is staying chilled. I’ll listen to some music in the back of the truck and then it’s a brief warm up before. I keep it low key, conserving energy for the race. Then it’s into the car, final check with the engineers and off to the grid. It’s all about the racing!”

We at ROSSOautomobili wish Callum the best for the final round of 2018 GP3 Serires in Abu Dhabi, thanking him for his precious insight.

EXCLUSIVE: Marcus Armstrong: “My goal is still to win the championship”

The European Formula 3 Championship has never been this heated. Race 2 of the Spielberg weekend is over at the amazing Red Bull Ring track, and saw Mick Schumacher take yet another win. However, a young Ferrari Driver Academy member is breathing on his neck to get his hands on the title. Marcus Armstrong, 18 years old, joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016 and has been proving his worth since then.

ROSSOautomobili managed to ask him a few questions on his future and on his experience in Maranello.

Marcus, you have been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy for almost two years now. How would you sum up the experience so far? How would you say it helped your development as a driver?

‘‘I was first signed to the FDA without a season in cars, so it was clear that I had a lot of room for development and improvement. I was taught the best general approach to perform well and ways to deal with high pressure situations. Also, with the collaboration with Prema we worked hard over the off-season of 2016/2017 to get myself ready to be winning immediately. It is very much a team-work environment, I was lucky enough to watch how Charles [Leclerc, F2 2017 Champion and 2019 Scuderia Ferrari drive, ed.] managed F2 which was a good benchmark of how to do it.’’

How would you describe your relationship with the fellow FDA drivers? Is it particularly influenced by competition or do you prefer a constructive, collective approach?

‘‘I have a good relationship with all the FDA drivers. Unlike many sports, drivers spend a lot of time together away from the track which can be good and bad in some ways. Luckily we have a good group of guys here in Maranello. Of course there is the competition aspect: as racing drivers we are even competitive in a game of tennis!’’

What do you think about the 2019 merger between the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and the GP3 Series?

‘‘I don’t have a lot of information about it. From my experiences this year in F3 I believe it’s a shame to put away such a fantastic car. The downforce and mechanical grip from the car is really quite special for a junior category.’’

You are currently third in your category’s standings, in your rookie year. How do you feel about your performance so far this year?

‘‘Yes, 3rd with two (now one and a half, ed.) rounds remaining. I always tend to set myself high targets, now my goal is still to win the championship. I got a lot of inspiration from listening to stories of Esteban Ocon when he won F3 as a rookie. I feel like this year we have had some tough luck, in Budapest, Spa, Misano, where we lost 1st’s or 2nd’s to crashes that were out of our control. Yet, we are still in the championship fight. There is still everything to play for so it will be interesting.’’

Is there a driver on the current F1 grid whom you consider an inspiration and/or a role model?

‘‘Charles especially. He obviously came through the FDA and I got to know him on a more personal level so to see the way he operates in the car is something quite special. I also like to watch Esteban, Lance (Stroll, ed.) and Pierre (Gasly, ed.) as they all raced for Prema and my engineer this season took both Esteban and Lance to their F3 titles.’’

Do you have any particular pre-race ritual you like to perform?

‘‘I’m not one for superstitions. I have a routine that I have gotten into: warming-up, stretching, espresso. I have nothing special to do before I get into the car.’’

Thank you to Ferrari for allowing us to ask this talented driver some questions. Follow Marcus on Instagram to keep updated with his development.

Our series of interviews with FDA drivers has just begun. Next up on the list is Callum Ilott, running third in the GP3 Series standings. Stay tuned for more!