Past memories and future hopes at the Gestione Sportiva lunch

The Nuova Logistica hall decked out for the festivities, the delight in being all together to celebrate fast-approaching Christmas, on the back of having enjoyed a great season, although with a lot still to do. These and much more besides were the themes of today’s Gestione Sportiva lunch. Ferrari President Sergio Marchionne thanked all the staff “and especially all the families, who supported them throughout a year of hard work. However, you know that the real battle starts in 2016, but we can count on two drivers who have already been world champions and engineers who can take us back to the top. This year, we’d have been happy with two wins, but we managed three, as well as a whole host of podium finishes. The most important thing is that, above all, we made the most of our in-house resources, without taking on too many outsiders.”

This sentiment was underlined by Scuderia Ferrari team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene. “Our aim for next year is to work with even more determination, to deserve this badge that we must wear with honour. A special thanks goes to our President, who has always supported us, putting himself in the front line. ‘We race’ is in our DNA.”

However, Christmas is also the time for gifts and those for Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen and Esteban Gutierrez were definitely made to measure, in the shape of armchairs made out of their respective driving seats.

Sebastian had prepared a long speech in perfect Italian. “This, my first year with Ferrari, has been fantastic, with plenty of successes. Hearing the German and Italian national anthems on the podium was an indescribable feeling. Thanks to all you men and women at Ferrari who, every year, put together this red miracle. Thanks for the affection you have shown me.”

Kimi’s message was more concise, but just as effective: "This year did not get off to a very good start for me, but it ended on an upbeat. We must continue working together and then I’m sure the results will come. Because now, we are really a team and actually, I’m sure we will be a great team.” For the drivers, it’s now time for a holiday, but at Maranello, the work goes on…