BMWSauber84 wrote:
Ferrari have this delusion of grandeur where they think the sport needs then more than they need the sport. It's utter nonsense of course. They epitomize the stereotype that many American motorsports hold about F1, that it is snobby and joyless.
I don't understand the obsession with maintaining a mystique. Nobody in the sporting world is looking at Ferrari and thinking "I wish they'd let us in on the secrets of their inability to win anything for 11 seasons despite enormous resources".
While I agree with mikey that Honda misunderstood the post he responded to defending Ferrari, I find your post much more less thoughtful, even somewhat ignorant.
Ferrari 's "illusion" of grandeur as you put is based on their accomplishments, not only in the track for the last decade, but for the past 70 years and in much more than F1. Now the uninformed may think that F1 may not need Ferrari, but people who know MUCH more than you do, or I, seem to think differently. Every few months there seems to be some asinine post like yours and I am not going to get involved another multi'page battle over it, but F1 does need Ferrari and would miss them greatly were the to leave. Does Ferrari need F1 more than vis versa? I don't necessarily think so. Ferrari is so well established, that their brand will still sell quite well if they are in F1 or not. Their logo is the most recognized automotive logo in the world, and very near the top in all categories, their is still a waiting list for their cars and special editions such as the "F" series, Enzo, LaFerrai, et are sold out before the first delivery. It is mutually beneficial for BOTH F1 and Ferrari to have Ferrari in F1, but IF it is critical for either of them, it probably not Ferrari, who has multiple ways of promoting their brand.
It is obvious that you are right, you don't "understand the obsession if maintaining a mystique", probably because you are not in the business of catering to a very small, very wealthy demographic of clients. There is a reason that Ferrari has been so successful in the market for so long... Some even call it the mystique. Even though there road cars that have perhaps been even better than the equivalent Ferrari, but they haven't taken out Ferrari, so to speak... Ferrari just keeps rolling.
Lastly, your dig at Ferrari's failure to win a championship over the last decade is very misplaced as well, as they certainly have not been winless, most recently FIVE SEC World GT Constructors championships since 2012! You see there are other racing championships beyond F1. While I have no doubt that Ferrari would love to win F1 championships sooner rather than later, they are exactly destitute.
Ferrari does indeed have a mystique about them, one that they built up, cultivated, maintained...and earn over decades, whether you understand it, or not.