Allison to replace Arrivabene?

These are the voices. I would second that as Arrivabene doesn't seem to me as such a big improvement on Domenicali or Mattiacci.

 

The improvement will come from the technical team, not from changing the principal all the time.

It's a common mistake to think that firing the guy at the top stimulate people below him.
It doesn't. It just destabilises the whole team structure.

 

That would be the Ferrari equivalent of what happened with McLaren and Martin Whitmarsh!

There's only so much Arrivabene (or anyone else) can do to get Ferrari winning again, and I can't see Allison being some sort of instant miracle cure for all of their woes.

And if it did happen, and Allison did not improve the situation, then what? - Who do they put in charge next?

There are a lot more people responsible for Ferrari not winning than Arrivabene - And a lot of them are working at Mercedes!

 

Would be a very stupid move. Arrivabene is great.

 

What is he doing so much better than his predecessors?

 

I like Arrivabene, I don't think he is the problem. The big problem are the regulations that prevent any other teams spending and developing the cars in a manner to catch up with Mercedes. Toto's comments about the other teams closing the gap are insincere at best and very self serving. Previously teams like Ferrari and McLaren would just spend what was necessary and test as much as possible to catch up. Change the rules and Mercedes will have real competition, if not then flip a coin to see which Mercedes comes first and which one comes second...

 

It's obviously hard to tell from the outside looking in, but to me at least he "comes across" very well. My guess is he's also a pretty good & patient leader, willing to listen etc.

I certainly don't claim to know, but I do like the guy.

Not sure about Allison. Hasn't he worked there before?

Cheers,
Ian

 

Arrivabene is a motivator, a manager. He's done a pretty good job, Ferrari have made positive strides, domenicalli couldn't organise a piss up at a brewery. The thing holding Ferrari back is the rules, and the only way to change that is to sack the FIA, not arrivabene.

 

I saw the arrival of Arrivabene as principal as Marlboro imposing its manager on the Scuderia.
Phillip Morris being the main sponsor for years has lost patience with the relative lack of success under he successive principals in recent years, and decided to take the helm. That's the way I see it.
Arrivabene is first a foremost a Marlboro man, not a Ferrari man. I gather that he will defend the interest of Marlboro abouve those of the Scuderia.
What will happen next, I don't know, so I don't want to make prediction.

Marlboro has sponsored different teams in the past...

 

I may be mistaken, but I thought he was very much Sweater Boys appointment?

Cheers,
Ian

 

Well, of course it has been presented as an appointment from the Scuderia CEO, but reading between the lines, I guessed it was Marlboro imposing its man as Director of the Gestione Sportive.
When you put an (alledged) $100M per year in a team, I think they tend to listen to you somehow.
Arrivabene has been the liaison man between Marlboro and Ferrari, and may have reported the deficiencies, etc...

I may be wrong though ...

 

Sorry mate, don't buy it. If Ferrari want £100million sponsorship, they are the one team that could walk out and get it..... They wouldn't be frightened of Phillip Morris. If Phillip Morris were that influential, then they would install arrivabene as president of the FIA and simply change the formula to something that suits Ferrari. Way easier

 

I like the guy (although I couldn't exactly say why). However, one of his purported benefits was the ability to drive the FIA's agenda based on his experience with PM.

 

That's the Ferrari way!

 

Same here.

He's certainly what I'd call a "smooth operator", & seems to come over well in interviews etc. No idea what he'd be like to work for, but you don't reach the top of the PM pyramid if you're useless/a wanker.....

+1 I vaguely recall those comments too.

Again, I think the problem is there's just too much agreement needed before anything can get done. They (the FIA, & the TWG/SWG's) need a "benevolent dictator".

Trouble there is, "power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Cheers,
Ian

 

This is only in the press. I would be completely shocked if this is even 1% real.

I work for Mr A, my up-chain goes from me to Apicella, Rivola to Arrivabene and I can tell you that the guys love working for him, as do I.

 

Thanks for the insight. Good to hear from "the inside".

Mind me asking what you do? I see you're in Colorado, so that's a *long* way from Maranello!

Cheers,
Ian

 

go to Scuderia Ferrari Club | The Official Ferrari Passion and at the bottom of the page, back row left, you can see me. I am there with Rivola, Pedro, Marc, etc. I do no more than run the Denver Club these days..

 

Car went from **** to second best in one year following his takeover, for one thing. He is a great motivator.

If you think a revolving door of team principals is what is going to get Ferrari to the front you're mistaken...

 

Cool! Thanks!

I'm a little "surprised" Mr A is involved with such a thing though (?)

Cheers,
Ian

 

He's the principal, everyone reports to him, and he reports to Mr. M. Massimo Rivola is the club World Wide Pres. His boss is Mr. A.

 

He is another Jean Todt in my book, he says and does the right thing and is building a great team so that when the Ferrari engines are the strongest again we will see another Schumacher era, hopefully with DR at the wheel

 

Perhaps Allison made it a condition of his continued service at the Scuderia.

 

Totally agree, could you imagine Ferrari being worried about PM

 

I dunno guys..... I don't care who you are, a $100MM a year is a substantial chunk of change!

Then, if the stories are true, PM "look after" the entire sponsorship thing. A big load off Italian shoulders. Then they keep Bernie happy with most things freshly painted in red & white. That **** doesn't come cheap either.

Annual $100MM sponsorship deals don't just appear every year...... Even if you're Ferrari.

IMO anyway.

Cheers,
Ian