Rumor Mattiacci to step down

Politics in Maranello these days are much more exciting then their F1 cars. Shame how mighty has fallen...

 

I do hope that Ferrari have hired some decent staff in the last months and are up to speed on the 2015 project, otherwise I sense next year might be an even longer year for Ferrari fans.

 

I have zero expectations for next year. If Vettel squeezes out a victory, it'd be a humongous gift.

 

to be honest fellas, i think Marchionne is hell bent on eradicating any and all Montezemolo influences / ties so that later on when and if SF comes back to their winning ways, he can put the blame entirely on Montezemolo for SF's previous (current) failure.

 

There are persistant rumours that 2015 car is actually even worse, as if that was even possible.

 

And if that is the case the whole lot should be fired!

 

Fernando eluded to that in an interview or at least that it won't be competitive w mercedes. it was a contributing factor to his "making his mind" a couple of months ago.

 

There are also rumors that the car has mistakenly been designed with only three wheels.

 

A mass sacking at this point is an admission that 2015 has been written off.

 

Or mass poaching from other top teams? Adrian Newey would a nice addition.

The pool of qualified folks in F1 is really tiny.

Think about it. IF Vettel isn't aware of the changes going on for the future team, he would've never signed up. He must know what's to come...

 

Wouldnt put it past them seeing how F14t performed. At least it wont be a surprise like in this cars case, after so many staff gone surely next one cant be any better. Cant believe entire Ferrari (and LDM aswell) where hyped for F14t...considering a name cant say it wasnt expected.

 

I'm sure many qualified folks just cant wait to get a gig in Scuderia. Would rather go to politics tbh...

 

I never understood why the need to sack Matti. He was the top sales person in North America, parachuted into a vacant job, only to be sacked not from the job position, but from Ferrari entirely after only 7 months. Way to go Sergio!

 

There is no logic.

 

Oddly we all sit here and guess what's happening. SM is running a multi billion $ company as so is BE. These guys aren't used to failure, let's see how this plays out. In the end none of them care of about what we the "fans" "tifosi" want. They have their narrow agendas that work for them or have over the long run. There has to be a bigger picture that we "mortals" are missing out on what it is.

 

They should make significant progress. But I also don't expect them to be at the top next year. Maybe a win or two. A reasonable goal would be to finish 2nd in the WCC. If they're not duking it out at the top by 2016, then they didn't make the right changes. We'll see.

 

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We have a very good season ahead of us.

 

Yeah!

Federer rocks!

 

Psionic energy can cut lap times by 0.5 of a second.

 

Why Ferrari F1 team dropped Marco Mattiacci for Maurizio Arrivabene
By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, November 25th 2014, 08:05 GMT

Why Ferrari F1 team dropped Marco Mattiacci for Maurizio Arrivabene - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com

Ferrari had openly admitted its massive restructuring needed time, so dropping team boss Marco Mattiacci after just eight months stunned Formula 1.

Behind the scenes, it had seemed that Mattiacci was making the right changes.

He boldly called Fernando Alonso's bluff and agreed to cut him loose if he did not offer the necessary commitment to Ferrari.

It was Mattiacci whose deal with Sebastian Vettel left Red Bull shell-shocked.

He got rid of technical personnel he doubted were good enough, hired key men for the future and gave full support to those he knew were essential, such as James Allison.

Mattiacci showed political bravery - triggering the push for engine freeze relaxation that prompted a major battle over power unit regulations, and chasing a wider overhaul of F1, with testing and fan engagement on the agenda.

But in the end, it was not enough for Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne.

LETTER OFFERS INSIGHT

Marchionne is known for decisiveness, and the call to drop Mattiacci for Maurizio Arrivabene was entirely his.

Bernie Ecclestone and Maurizio Arrivabene

A letter sent to Ferrari staff - a copy of which has seen by AUTOSPORT - offers key insight into his motivation, hinting it was not about 2014's poor results or doubts over the restructuring.

Instead Marchionne's concern is having the right man to get Ferrari back to a central role in F1.

"I am fully committed to ensure Ferrari maintains its position of influence in the governance of F1," Marchionne wrote.

That ability to influence F1's corridors of power appears fundamental to the change.

It is believed that Mattiacci was not as close to the still all-powerful Bernie Ecclestone as other Ferrari bosses had been.

There are even suggestions Mattiacci rubbed Ecclestone up the wrong way with his approach to Ferrari's revival and his demands for wider F1 changes.

You only need to ask former Williams CEO Adam Parr about how a team risks isolation if one of its chiefs does not get on with Ecclestone.

In Arrivabene (pictured with Ecclestone above), Ferrari has someone who not only knows how Ecclestone works, but has been one of his closest allies for decades via his role with long-time F1 sponsor Philip Morris (Marlboro).

It was no surprise to see F1's commercial supremo visiting Marlboro's Madonna di Campiglio ski camps.

F1 INFLUENCE

Arrivabene has sat on the F1 Commission for years, so knows how the sport works and the best ways to influence its future shape.

As Marchionne wrote: "Maurizio brings a unique set of experiences with him. In addition to his long-standing relationship with our team, he has also served on the F1 Commission and is already keenly aware of the challenges we face.

Fernando Alonso, Marco Mattiacci and Kimi Raikkonen

"He has a thorough understanding of the governance mechanisms and requirements of the sport, the level of competition and the challenges of the circuit.

"He has also been a constant source of innovative ideas for the revitalisation of F1.

"In Maurizio, I see the qualities of someone who leads by his strong personal example, his professionalism, and the integrity of his decisions - in short by the type of person he is."

Marchionne knows that success on track will not come quickly, but equally much of the restructuring is now in place. It just needs time.

If Ferrari has a bigger overall influence in F1, perhaps it can fast-track ways to make itself more competitive.

Just as Mattiacci wanted a driver focused only on what was best for Ferrari, Marchionne has decided Arrivabene is the best man to do that from the boardroom.

"We all know how important a healthy team spirit is, particularly at this time," he wrote.

"The kind of spirit that can only come from a group of people who believe strongly in a project and are prepared to share the commitment, sacrifices and results."

 

^^Interesting. Also saves me an Autosport 'view' this month!

I guess the guy is something more than a cigarette salesman...... Being 'close' to Bernie isn't a bad thing for sure.

However, I'm still not convinced he should be the TP. A 'consultant' or something like that may work, but sitting on the wall is a whole different skill set again......

Cheers,
Ian

 

I'm also surprised that they didn't put Marco back at the head of FNA considering he knows all the key people in the States. If I'm not mistaken, after many months in the position, Enrico Galliera is still described as the "interim CEO" of FNA since Mattiacci's move to the Scuderia.

 

He disgraced himself with his stupid comments about Alonso

 

This guy is a real disgrace. Let me tell you!

 

I use this site these days: Formula 1 - Eurosport Australia

They usually have all of the Autosport stories word for word not long after they've appeared on Autosport (along with other news agencies), and it saves all the limited access nonsense.