Senna wanted to join Ferrari "at all costs"
Former Ferrari chairman Luca Di Montezemolo has revealed three-times champion's desire
Former Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo has revealed it was three-time Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna's desire to join the Scuderia "at all costs".
Di Montezemolo has claimed his biggest regret during his 23 years in charge of Ferrari was "not having signed Ayrton Senna".
The 72-year-old, who resigned from the position five-and-a-half years ago, was apparently due to hold talks with Senna following the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola where the Brazilian lost his life driving for Williams.
“He came to my house in Bologna before the Imola accident," Di Montezemolo told Sky Italia. "He told me he wanted to drive for us at all costs and to free himself from Williams.
“We agreed to speak after Imola, but then what happened happened. He wanted to come to us and I would have been happy to have him. It would have been the icing on the cake, like Michael [Schumacher] was for us later on."
Schumacher joined Ferrari in 1996, opening up the alluringly hypothetical possibility of a Senna partnership with the German.
Di Montezemolo, however, does not believe such an alliance would have worked.
“A nice dream, but we would have been shooting ourselves in the foot,” assessed Di Montezemolo.
“It would have been a big hit, but not good for Ferrari. With two stars of that level together, you don’t win."
Related
More F1 news
Latest F1 news
Recommended by the editors
Latest F1 News
Aston Martin and Adrian Newey set for F1 cost cap boost after FIA twist
F1 News & Gossip
Max Verstappen told to speak to F1 rivals after causing storm over new 2026 rules
Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen ally claims bad Red Bull start has triggered F1 champion's fury
F1 News & Gossip
Max Verstappen F1 ally 'approached by Aston Martin' in shocking twist over Adrian Newey replacement
Races
-
Grand Prix of Australia 2026
-
Grand Prix of China 2026
-
Grand Prix of Japan 2026
-
Grand Prix of Bahrain 2026
-
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2026
-
Miami Grand Prix 2026
-
Grand Prix du Canada 2026
-
Grand Prix De Monaco 2026
-
Gran Premio de Barcelona-Catalunya 2026
-
Grand Prix of Austria 2026
-
Grand Prix of Great Britain 2026
-
Grand Prix of Belgium 2026
-
Grand Prix of Hungary 2026
-
Dutch Grand Prix 2026
-
Grand Prix of Italy 2026
-
Gran Premio de España 2026
-
Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2026
-
Grand Prix of Singapore 2026
-
Grand Prix of the United States 2026
-
Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2026
-
Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2026
-
Las Vegas Grand Prix 2026
-
Qatar Grand Prix 2026
-
Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2026
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Editorial & corporate information
Avenue HQ
10–12 East Parade
Leeds
LS1 2BH
United Kingdom Regional correspondence
View contact page