Ferrari is much more than a car brand. It is the ‘sumum’, everything that someone can aspire to from the automotive point of view. And this magical halo of its models has not been forged because there are no other manufacturers (even) more exclusive, expensive, fast or appetizing. But yes for things like the mythical ‘Ferrari blacklist’. How does it work? What clients are in it?
In fact, it has always been said -and it has rarely been possible to verify with transparency, objective data and clear and demonstrable numbers- that those of ‘il cavallino’ base their legend on many aspects that make them unique. For example, the extreme demands that his founder, ‘il Commendatore’ Enzo Ferrari, placed on everything related to his favorite ‘children’: any of his creations with wheels.
In Italy, this logo is an institution. It was born by and for the races and in them the brand is first and then its drivers. These must know in such individualistic sports -and almost selfish at times- that first of all they run for the collective interests of the ‘Scuderia’, to accumulate points in the Constructors’ World Championship and that this is a much higher goal than the Drivers’ title .
In addition, the ‘tiffosi’ are staunch supporters of her, not those who are in charge. They say that, among other dogmas, the members of what is almost a sect or religion in itself are only satisfied with the victory of the ‘red’ cars, and that if none of them have any chance of victory now, what should they do? all pure-bred ferrarista is to leave the circuit.
However, for years it was possible to see how when a Ferrari driver lost his life, it was the team itself that removed the other survivor, packed his bags and left for home, to give an idea of the extent to which those from Maranello considered themselves to be one big family.
In the same way, as the best of the wheel aces criticize the mount, it will not be well seen by the squad. And somehow, in Formula 1, this explains why it was so painful, for example, that a certain Fernando Alonso always showed that he was far above ‘la macchina’ between 2010 and 2014… and that he couldn’t handle everything and that beat the almighty Red Bull of that time…
…Or that in 2007, on the occasion of Ferrari’s 60th anniversary, some of the journalists who were at the events in Maranello were able to verify, by talking to the people there, that one of its drivers, Kimi Raikkonen, was systematically removed from the splendor “because it gave a bad image”… and then he won the Drivers’ World Championship – a title that no one at Ferrari has managed to repeat until now.
… Or, saving the distances, that together before the renewal of Sainz by Ferrari until 2024, the pressure on the Madrilenian was maximum for not shining as much as his partner, Charles Leclerc, at this start of the 2022 season. Because if anyone Of the two he lost points – even if it was due to external causes or strokes of bad luck – that put at risk, above all, the glory of Ferrari.
But of course, another of the axioms repeated so many times by everyone is that “you can’t say no to Ferrari”, because it has even been stated that a world champion is not so much and cannot feel truly crowned if at least one Of his titles he has not achieved them with (and for) Ferrari. That is the level of respect that the brand commands. And that’s the keyword.
Disrespect to the brand
For all these reasons, you will have understood better that although after all “a powerful gentleman is a gift of money”, as the saying goes, it seems that Ferrari selects its clients more than it might seem, based on respect for their essential creations so that their bosses see with good eyes that one person and not another is worthy of acquiring a Ferrari.
This is the only way to explain why, explicitly or tacitly, the company is trying to ensure that its jewels do not end up in the hands of those who are not going to keep them with the shine they deserve, intend to ‘tune them up’ without taste or consideration or acquire a unity with the sole purpose of reselling it immediately, speculating… and, ultimately, depreciating the value of the economic good and, above all, of the image.
Is there, then, a black list of wealthy potential clients who would be banned from getting one ‘Cavallino’? Apparently yes. And although all this also does nothing more than ‘fatten’ the legend of the car saga created by Enzo -and we cannot verify it with all the reliability that we would like-, some famous names resonate who would have been given the ‘ cross’ to brand new Ferrari.
For example, the actor Nicolas Cage (in the photo) would be on that blacklist for not sufficiently accrediting his financial health; also, the singer Justin Bieber (who is said to have ‘misled’ a Ferrari F458 Italia), the rappers Tyga (who allegedly did not finish paying the lease for a 458 Spider) and 50 Cent (who would have shown unworthy attitudes towards their Ferraris)…
…or the musician JT Zimmerman (Deadmau5), who would have ‘tuned’ another 458 Spider without the taste or attention that apparently would have been expected for such a vehicle. By last? Chris Harris, the influencer and co-host of the Top Gear television show, who would have insinuated that the brand retouched its models before lending them to him… and apparently has been banned for it.
With or without a blacklist, the fact is that what it is to have a Ferrari in the garage, as such, is not something as prohibitive or unattainable as it seems, as long as you can spend an amount of about 45,000 euros on a whim, since which are the prices at which the less quoted models can be moved (Ferrari Mondial T, 348 TB…).
Another very different thing is that we talk about the new Ferrari. Because the brand new units are those in which any ‘celebrity’ who truly wants to be considered as such should be seen (and is perceived in the same way by the rest of the planet). Because even in this, there have always been classes… and there will always be those who are not worthy of this Ferrari glamour.
