John Elkann, president of Ferrari, chairman of the board of directors of the Stellantis group, who also heads the Exor holding company and the Agnelli Foundation, spoke yesterday at the presentation of the new project, held at the headquarters of the Italian Olympic team in Paris.
Although the main topic of his speech to the press was not directly related to motorsport, the conversation eventually turned to Ferrari’s business in Formula 1. Elkann has been a longtime fan of the Olympic movement and came to Paris with his family.
“Here you see an example of harmonious coexistence, you see a world that is not separated by barriers, despite the fact that there is sporting rivalry between athletes,” said the Ferrari president. – (EN) This is a very positive example of a civilized approach.
At the Agnelli Foundation, we are convinced that it is possible to combine sports and education without them coming into conflict, as some people think. On the contrary, these two elements feed each other. A number of studies confirm that people who play sports perform better at school.
This year we will join forces with the Italian National Olympic Committee to organize a kind of Olympic Games for children under 14 – these competitions will be held in Sicily from October 3 to 6. Their aim is to motivate children to play sports, following the example of champions, and to help them realize their dreams…”
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, when asked about Lewis Hamilton’s upcoming move to Ferrari – the seven-time world champion turns 40 in January – Elkann replied: “Hamilton and Ferrari have found each other, he comes to us to win. This will make us stronger and better prepared for the challenges of the future.
He is a great athlete and aims to win his eighth championship title, as his recent victories show. Of course, he is not going to Ferrari to prepare for an honorable retirement. He still wants to achieve a lot.
Finally, it is enough to remember the names of the great athletes of the last decade: Djokovic, Federer, Hamilton, Ronaldo, Messi – what do they all have in common? Sporting longevity. Thanks to their incredible willpower, they were able to overcome the difficulties associated with a decline in physical fitness.”
Elkann also said a few words about the current season: “This year the rivalry in Formula 1 has really increased. The four teams are very close in terms of capabilities, which made things a lot more interesting.
Red Bull started the championship well, then Ferrari and McLaren caught up and now Mercedes is catching up. Finally, a championship with great drivers is happening in an unpredictable scenario, and now the most important thing is to realize your full potential. The most experienced drivers, like Hamilton and Alonso, are performing more consistently and that could be the deciding factor.”
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
