Domenicali offers to quit...

Stefano Domenicali has admitted he would consider his position as Ferrari Team Principal if he thought it would pull the Italian team out of its crisis.

Despite a technical step forward in Barcelona, only Williams, Toro Rosso and Force India sit lower than the reigning constructors' champions in the 2009 standings, following more strategic and reliability issues at the weekend.

F1 Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone mused in Barcelona that the team's new top management is the problem.

"I think with (Jean) Todt gone, we've gone a little bit back to the way it was before Todt went there," said the Briton, always keen to jump on any particular bandwagon.


And when asked about Felipe Massa running out of fuel at the end of the Spanish Grand Prix, Renault team boss Flavio Briatore told Spain's AS newspaper while laughing: "Fortunately I am not the head of Ferrari!"

Massa’s woes allowed the struggling Alonso to inherit fifth position in the leading Renault.

Quoted by the German broadcaster RTL, Domenicali commented: "I do not think I'm the problem. But if necessary, I would make room."

 

Whoa! Strange cosmic rays above Maranello these days.

 

His offer if true, long overdue. Whats the use now, if the rules dont change, he's out of a job in 2 weeks anyway for next year. Its to the point now that whatever is printed about management problems doesnt matter.

 

I think he's misquoted. A similar point was made during an interview by the BBC. His reaction was more something like: if I were the problem I would resign immediately. But he wasn't so he isn't. They need to stay calm. Firing everybody and hiring new people isn't the solution. That was the gest of it.

 

Hate to admit it, but Bernie is right.
Also Briatore (another person I do not particularly like) has the right view of the problem, but it remains to be seen if the solution is coming in a timely manner.
IMO, the only person that might have what it takes to get the F racing department out of the hole at this time, is Michael Schumaker.

 

The fact that he can't see that top management (him) is the problem confirms that top management (him) is the problem.

 

Ferrari F1 has 3 key issues to deal with -

-It hasn't yet identified/promoted or appointed worthy replacements to one of the most successful teams F1 has ever had - Todt/Brawn/Schumacher/Byrne

-Raikkonen is no team player and needs "pedalling" asap

-It needs to consider whether key personnel have been over promoted

 

I'm surprised that Ferrari has not courted Flavio for its team principal...he is Italian, flamboyant and a great team principal...

 

It's simple. Ferrari just lack a proper leader.

 

+1

 

Ferrari frankly did not do to well till they got Brawn, Todt and other not so hot blooded folks (IMHO) in there working with the team that could make sound decisions under the gun. We all know that Italians are extremely passionate folks a little too passionate at times in the heat of battle. They also lost Schumacher at the same time and I'm not talking about his driving. He was above and beyond a team player, staying after the race hanging out with the guys dismantling the paddock, encouraging them at the factory, etc. The three of those guys together really made the Scuderia hum nicely. Go back in the archives and you will see that many including me warned that the changing of the guard would doom the team.

 

Bring Todt Back!!!!!!!!!

 

Bring in Flavio to replace Domenicalli and Alonso to replace Raikkonen.

 

Yes. Suck it up and rehire Todt. F need to have sponsors threatening to pull out so that they make serious changes.

 

Flav is a great manager period, not just when it comes to a racing team. He could return both tactical and fiscal discipline.

 

I'd agree but unfortunately I think Ferrari is too rigid to have someone as flamboyant as Flavio heading their team. Flavio strikes me as the "bad boy" of the team managers and I don't think Luca could handle him.

 

Would be nice.

 

at least he wouldn't have to hide his Marlboro's in another pack anymore

 

Don't be fooled.
Check out his interview in May's Motor Sport. When it comes to business and spending he's more conservative than most in F1.
If he can work for Carlos Ghosn, who may be the savviest Auto exec out there, Luca's got nothing to worry about.

 

My $0.02

Luca hasn't impressed me. Domenicali will be the scapegoat and probably never had (nor could he capitalize on) the same span of control Todt had.

 

Domenically should have been FIRED waaaaaay back...Only he won both constructors championships (07/08)...But I´ve never seen Ferrari racing with so much fear, with no real poise, always leaving something to luck, always affraid...

And I guess the guy has done some things RIGHT...but under his watch we have seen many HISTORIC mistakes (no EXTREME WETS on the cars before the 3 minute deadline 2008 / Massa no fuel on board after pitstop on q1 2008 / Massa ripping the gas hose on the refueling pump thanks to a non working lights device that had to be manually operated 2008 / Raikonnen mising Q2 on a "safe time" 2009...)...and I could go on and on...

on the good side?

we havent seen ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE to brilliant...and that should be enough reason to get rid of the Guy...at that level of the game, you need the BEST you can get!!!...not just average.

Domenically and Baldissieri were SO OUT until they won the 2008 constructors championship...and so many resources were invested onto winning last year they were limping on 2009 development, NOT TO MENTION the things that changed overnight, the famous KERS Battery relocation, the DIFUSSOR that was clearly cheating and got the OK and forced the whole redesign of the car...

AVERAGE GUY + BAD LUCK = pandemonium...we need a new guy... is TODT the guy?

I dont see anybody else on the list that has the balls,the knowledge, the poise, the mouth full of blood on a perfectly controled suit...

Drivers are OK for now...but DAMN this guy Baldissieri is just Naive and Foolish, you can see it in his eyes! he runs on FEAR instead of PASSION and does things that are plain inadmissible.

AND working for Ferrari is one of those jobs you can kill to get...or die by getting it...

...worst of all...WE CANNOT CHANGE THE GUY now...is not healthy or strategically wise to make him the scape goat, now we have to stick with him even when we all curse him during the races....I DO!!!

SO FOR NOW...the guy stays, but we really need to find a new PROPER GUY or Bring the OLD SHERIFF before we loose control of the stupid barn too...(if we didnt already)

 

You guys are forgetting that the two last years of Todt were far from perfect. I think that replacing the big names is not the solution. There´s something else going down there but of course I don´t know what.

 

I think the issue is that you have two realatively inexperienced people in positions that they never have really done before at any other team.

Ferrari needs a non Italian in there to knock some heads together. With a clear understanding of how to go racing. I think Schumacher could be a candidate, but doubt if he wants that kind of stress... why would you when you are super rich and have acheived greatness... why go the Prost route? and ruin your reputation on the backs of others?

I think they either need a dedicated F-1 CEO who can make all the independant decisions or else it will be back like it always used to be. chaos as the rule of the day.

I dont think Todt wants to do this work any more either. You need someone who is hungry for success... and that can report only to Montezemolo.... and that I'm afraid will be very hard to do. May be they should put Piero back in charge?

 

This is neither true nor the reason for Ferrari falling behind.


Baldisseri is already gone and Domenicali should go. But who will fill the void? The man who wanted the job and would have been perfect in it, now runs his own team. Mille grazie LdM. Nott.

 

QFT. Luca wanted an all Italian team and he got it. Now they are back to not being able to tie their shoelaces.