True dat!
When did LDM buy out Benetton? I thought Briatore bought out Benetton, and turned it into the Renault team.
What is Pat Fry doing? He needs to go as he is been engineering director since Aldo Costa left. And look at Costa now. In regards to Domenicali, I used to think it was his fault but now I doubt it and I don't want to see him go. Especially as I don't see better options atm And he looks like Austin Powers too! http://i.imgur.com/rjzpQ.jpg
I think you can see in his body language - he's done... he'll stay thru the year and then out... I I think Button will be out as well, so it makes good match for him to go back to McLaren... Raikkonnen should have never been taken by Ferrari ... Hulkenberg would be good... I kind of like Kobiashi ... and Chilton...
You forget the reason why Costa was shown the door, poor results. Not his fault imo Ferrari being Ferrari never do things the easy way, many have tried and failed, some miserably. Its not the engineers as most have proven track records and can deliver if left alone. The biggest problem is the management who think they know better and interfere. LdM is a typical example, his heart and passion is definitely in the right place, but is judgement is woefully left wanting. His desire to get rid of the most successful team and replace it with Italians was idiotic. Todt was the man who kept the hyper sensitive management out of the race department and left Byrne Brawn and others to flourish. Its lost and it will take years to get it back, if never. Ferrari has no right to win and the sooner they realise that the better and will hopefully move on.
I remember why Costa left and in hindsight that was a mistake. Yes, the problem is that basically they replaced both Todt and Brawn with Domenicali. That can't work. I have faith in Allison, though, but Fry should be roasted.
I think getting passed by secondary teams will be enough to press the reset button. This will likely be Domenicali's last year. As others have mentioned, if nice guy Whitmarsh can be pushed aside, so can nice guy Domenicali. -F
I was half kidding. I'm referring to Ferrari signing MS in 96 then basically everyone else from Benetton during his championship time there.
Trying to bring back the guys who brought Ferrari's sucess in the Schumacher years won't work. All those guys are middle aged now (relax folks I'm there as well), want to enjoy life, have nothing to prove, and have money. If they did come back to work, it would probably be to do something different that would challenge them. Like Newey recently said he would like to design an Americas cup boat. Ferrari need to find young talent that'll be with them for a while.
That's the thing. And recruiting talent in Italy with the not fantastic academic system is not easy. Then you find yourself having to pay too much for already mature foreign engineers or be left with what Italy offers IMO. Btw Red bull has just started a worldwide engineers talent scout operation. Well done!
Numero Uno on RAI Sport 2 last night said that Aldo Costa was responsible for the Mercedes chassis. The power unit is another issue. I think that says it all.
I personally think the suggestion that Ferrari's current issues reside with their drivers is laughable. The real tragedy is that Alonso and Räikkönen are saddled with an uncompetitive car, left to fight with both hands tied behind their backs. I have to wonder just what it was about the four years prior that failed make an impression in Maranello? Seriously. Is it poor management? Inept engineering? Poor work ethic? Arrogance? And this is the car they deliver. At this point, if Ferrari can not turn things around, I'd prefer that they release both drivers from their contracts so that they can live to fight another day. Alonso certainly merited his 3rd world title in 2010 and 2012, and although I believe Kimi has less time I feel they both deserve a fighting shot at another title. Let them go so that they can fulfill their potential. I can almost envision a scenario, much like Schumi, where Vettel, being young enough with several titles already under his belt, could be brought in at the beginning of a entire restructure of the Scuderia. It took Schumi, Todt, and Brawn five years once they arrived in 96, and it may take that again, it just requires finding that team who is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed.
Costa had already made major inroads for merc dev on last year's car (last years results speak for themselves). ferrari totally dropped the ball by not poaching him back imho. But again, who do you blame within ferrari?
Totally completley agree with this post. Ferrari had a dream team and killed it once LDM thought it was Ferrari rather than the drivers and designers who got them there...
Not at all. Brawn wanted room to grow and Ferrari lost him because of it... they need to make amends and let him get on with it....
I know - shocking aint it... but he's actually done pretty well with the worst car... I think he has all the stuff needed to win... but needs to be with a better team.