The following statement was issued by Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo to the FerrariWorld.com website tonight :

"In all my years in Formula 1, I haven't seen such an incredibly exciting finish to a championship. I always said that we'd be fighting until the last corner of the last Grand Prix and that's exactly what happened at the end of a brilliantly tense competition.

Ferrari's winning its 16th Constructors' World title since its foundation is an important milestone not only because it is the fruit of the work put in by the team and the drivers throughout the entire Championship, but also because we will once again be able to put the World Champion symbol on our Grand Tourers. Winning for the eighth time in 10 years – a feat unequalled at world level in any other team sport - proves beyond a shadow of a doubt what an extraordinary group we are.

We won thanks to a team that has undergone many profound changes over the last two years, changes that have brought on many young people from inside the Company. There were mistakes and difficult times but we responded to both by remaining united and refusing to give in. For that I thank GES Director Stefano Domenicali and his entire team of collaborators.

We have two great drivers in Felipe and Kimi also, and they deserve all our compliments for a job well done. Felipe in particular is in my thoughts as he crossed the finish line yesterday as world champion only to see the title slip through his fingers a few seconds later. I can only imagine how painful that moment must have been for him. However, I would like to give him my very special compliments, not only for dominating the running out there on the track in front of his fans, proving he is worthy indeed of the world title, but also for his maturity and sportsmanship off the track. He's a great champion and a great man.

Lastly, I would like to send my congratulations to Lewis Hamilton, the youngest ever world champion in the history of Formula 1. He was a very powerful rival indeed and his win, close though it was, was well deserved. He'll have the number 1 on his car next season, but he can rest assured of one thing: we'll be doing our very best to put it back on a Ferrari."