Ferrari's Gino Rosato still thirsts for Formula 1 victories

"Winning is always so contagious. All teams want to win the Constructors championship, all drivers the Driving championship," Rosato told Courrier Laval in a telephone conversation from Maranello, Italy, where all Ferrari cars have been built since the 1950s. "You always hope your latest Constructors and Drivers championships are not your last," he added.

Rosato was really happy with FIA's decision to declare Kimi Räikkonen the new Formula 1 Champion. FIA (International Automobile Federation) delayed the official results of the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix, the last race of the season, launching an investigation into the temperatures of fuel injected into Williams and BMW Sauder cars during pit stops.

Had FIA penalized Nico Rosberg's Williams-Toyota (4th), the BMW driven by Robert Kubica (5th), and Nick Heidfeld (6th), Lewis Hamilton (Mclaren-Mercedes) who finished seventh would have been hailed world champion and Räikkonen would have kissed the title good-bye.

In the Constructors category, Ferrari took the title when FIA disqualified McLaren-Mercedes for espionage.

Räikkonen tasted the thrill of victory in Brazil on October 21, giving him a one-point edge over Hamilton in final world title standings. Rosato won't soon forget this unexpected triumph. "In Brazil, the last five laps were the most intense I have witnessed in my entire career. It was the best race of my life. Kimi did honours to Ferrari's tradition of excellence. With all that happened, the win was a miracle," emphasized Rosato, who grew up in Laval, and is now the guardian angel of Kimi Räikkonen and his Ferrari teammate, Felipe Massa of Brazil.

Originally from Duvernay, Rosato will soon begin his 13th year with Ferrari Racing, bringing to the new season 13 titles, seven in Constructors, six in Drivers. "I'm not superstitious. 13 is a lucky number in Italy. I hope 2008 will be a repeat of 2007."

While he had a good relationship with Michael Schumacher, Rosato says he has lived some magic moments with Ferrari's two current young drivers. He's become good friends with Räikkonen, the world's top racer, thanks to their mutual passion for hockey.

"It's the first time since I joined Ferrari that we talk hockey. I made it possible for Kimi to meet Finnish countrymen Saku Koivu, captain of the Canadiens and Teemu Selanne. I played lots of hockey with Kimi in Europe," said the 35-year-old who graduated from Laval Catholic High School in 1990. "Kimi was the one who told me about my friend Patrice Brisebois's first goal of the year. Hockey brings us closer," he concluded.