Italy slams Ferrari for Barcelona 'news blackout'

  • Published on 28 Feb 2017 17:31
  • comments 5
  • By: Fergal Walsh

Media outlets in Italy have slammed Ferrari due to them keeing a blanket over themselves at winter testing, not giving anything away about their new car. Ferrari decided to adopt this strategy after creating lots of hype for 2016, before plummeting to third in the constructors championship, winless.

Although the first two days have looked quite promising for the Italian squad, Sebastian Vettel was banned from talking to the media on Monday: "Ferrari do not speak," insider Leo Turrini said. "But they are happy with the outcome of the first day of testing."

However this 'blackout' has not been met kindly with journalists in Italy, who claim that fans deserve to know what is going on:  "Low profile is acceptable," said La Gazzetta dello Sport's Luigi Perna, "but not complete silence.

"Journalists are like engineers," he told the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti. "We should be able to give feedback to the fans, who have the right to hear the drivers."

Turrini said the decision was made by president Marchionne himself, triggering a furious reaction from the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

"Starting the season with a news blackout is absurd. After the sad living nativity scene of the car launch comes this meaningless news blackout. A low profile asked by Marchionne is one thing, but this carelessness is quite another."

The only comments that have been made about Ferrari's 2017 challenger has come from their rivals such as Red Bull's Adrian Newey.

He said on Monday: "The Mercedes looks very sophisticated. As for Ferrari, I do not quite understand the area of the sidepods, which look very complicated to me."

Toro Rosso technical boss James Key agrees: "The Ferrari looks really interesting -- it is not like the other cars."

And former F1 driver Marc Surer said in Barcelona: "The Ferrari makes a good impression on me. You can see they've done a good job in the winter.

"From the (engine) sound, the Ferrari is in no way inferior to Mercedes," the pundit told Bild newspaper. "Now we'll have to see if that is synonymous with performance."

 

Fergal Walsh

Replies (5)

Login to reply
  • Wow am I reading this right!? Ferrari FINALLY learning from the error of their ways and kicking the a55hole gutter Italian press in the gonads?!? Good going!! Just what the doctored.

    If there was a big game reserve were you could hunt with impunity, its these pos journalists from Italy we can fill the game reserve with and shoot the heads off them to one' heart's content. Not a single F*** would be given.

    Just look at these idiots, 'journalists are like engineers' ROFLMAO, they are so full of themselves like they know everything about the sport and the technical complexities involved.

    By any luck Ferrari might actually do well starting this year in which case all power to them.

    • + 0
    • Feb 28 2017 - 17:51
  • Ferrari doing something sensible finally!

    • + 0
    • Feb 28 2017 - 17:58
  • If the Italian media want to publish news, they'd better start publishing legit news, instead of gossip, made up rumours and twisted references.

    • + 0
    • Feb 28 2017 - 18:13
  • There are 9 other teams to report on?

    • + 0
    • Feb 28 2017 - 18:15
    • Not according to the Italian press.

      • + 0
      • Mar 1 2017 - 06:01

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar