Montezemolo: Tifosi booing Hamilton is disgusting

Speaking to BBC after a thrilling Italian Grand Prix, Montezemolo said of the Mercedes driver and championship leader, "Lewis is a fantastic champion, has always been very correct, and he made a fantastic race. Full stop."

With regards to the 'boo brigade' in the aftermath of the victory and subsequent podium ceremony, Montezemolo said, "What happened was very, very bad and I am really upset. It's disgusting."

After winning for a fifth time at the 'Temple of Speed', Hamilton took the boos and 'Hamilton fuck you chants" in his stride, and told reporters, "I think it’s acceptable. It’s done in every sport. If I’m really honest, I don’t unerstand it because I’ve never…

And added of the negative energy, "It is also quite easy to harness it and use it and that gave me so much motivation today. I welcome it. If they want to continue to do it, that just empowers me."

With regards to Mercedes team orders, which saw Valtteri Bottas come into play and assist Hamilton to hunt down Kimi Raikkonen, the former Maranello president saw no issue with the tactics.

He explained, "I can tell you we won a few championships [with team orders] when I was the chairman and CEO - with Kimi and Felipe Massa, with Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher, with Michael and Eddie Irvine."

"This is part of the history. And Bottas did not make anything incorrect or a foul. He made his race. When I have heard the criticism..."

"This is normal. In life it is difficult to win, but it is more difficult to accept when you don't win. So, yesterday I was not happy for what I have seen, from the public."

"Mercedes did its job. If I was in charge of Ferrari in the same condition as Mercedes, I would make exactly the same choice. So, finito."

In the early seventies, Montezemolo saved and resurrected Ferrari's Formula 1 programme when he was drafted in as team principal by Enzo Ferrari at the time.

Since then he masterminded the team's highly successful Niki Lauda era in the seventies, was instrumental in building the Michael Schumacher, Ross Brawn, Jean Todt and Rory Byrne superteam that conquered all from 2000 to 2004, and was also in charge when Raikkonen won Ferrari's last title back in 2007.

Montezemolo was ousted as team president by a Sergio Marchionne led coup d'equipe in 2014 and has since been appointed committee president of the Rome bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics. On 24 July 2015, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.