Luca Cordero di Montezemolo’s presence in the paddock didn’t go unnoticed, as he returned to the Formula 1 pit lane for a Grand Prix after more than 10 years, as a guest of the local Prime Minister and Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa.

Montezemolo, the legendary former Ferrari president during the glory days of Michael Schumacher, gave a wide-ranging interview to Sky Sport:  “I hope to bring some luck to Ferrari because they need it. I see the Ferrari guys very motivated. Leclerc did well in qualifying, so he can fight for it.”
The last Ferrari title came under his leadership. “It’s a team that, at times, lacks a leader and strong leadership — I’m speaking in general. Let’s hope that sooner or later we’ll be celebrating not just a podium, but a car capable of staying in front, because that’s the real challenge and the real issue. To achieve that, you need organization, time… let’s hope. I’m still very happy to be here and to see Leclerc starting from the second row [later promoted to the front row after Russell’s penalty].”

There’s a strong Italian presence in F1. When asked about the impressive debut of Kimi Antonelli, Montezemolo commented: “Antonelli?  He is a top-tier driver. He doesn’t make mistakes, he’s fast, and he’s growing very quickly. For me, he has a key advantage — he’s from Bologna. I just regret seeing him with Mercedes. Would I have signed him? Maybe not at 18, but a couple of years at Sauber, yes. Toto Wolff did a good job spotting him and developing him, just like McLaren did with Lewis Hamilton.”

He added:
“I hope to bring some luck to Ferrari, because they need it.”