F1 Madness

Tag: luca di montezemolo

  • Mattiacci:”What Ever it Takes

    Mattiacci:”What Ever it Takes

    New Ferrari Team Principal Marco Mattiacci has promised that he will do what ever it takes to get Ferrari back to the top of Formula 1.

    Speaking to Autosport on Friday, Mattiacci seemed confident that he will be able to get Ferrari back to winning ways even if it mean going on a massive recruitment drive.

    “I will discuss things with the chairman [Luca di Montezemolo], and clearly what is needed we will do,” he said. “Even going to the market. But with a clear idea that it is not just for the sake of shopping.”

    “It is only if we find someone that will bring extremely added value to a team that according to all of us is one of the highest level teams in F1. That is the philosophy. What is needed will be done.”

    Mattiacci feels that his lack of experience is not a bad thing for Ferrari. He believes that he can bring a fresh approach to the team rather than someone with knowledge of the sport. He is under no illusions of the monumental task he faces and he is very eager to prove that he has what it takes to lead the most successful team in Formula 1.

    All eyes are on Mattiacci now with the team and Tifosi all looking to him. He has a huge responsibility on his shoulders and he has been thrown right into the deep end. Only time will tell if the Ferrari President, Luca Di Montezemolo made the right choice.

     

  • Luca di Montezemolo thanks Domenicali for his work at Ferrari

    Luca di Montezemolo thanks Domenicali for his work at Ferrari

    Luca di Montezemolo has accepted the resignation of Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali. In this short statement, he thanked the outgoing team boss for his work with the team and wished his successor, Ferrari North America CEO, Marco Mattiaci well.

    “I thank Stefano Domenicali, not only for his constant dedication and effort, but also for the great sense of responsibility he has shown, even today, in always putting the interests of Ferrari above all else.

    I hold Domenicali in esteem and I have watched him grow professionally over the twenty three years we have worked together, I now wish him every success for the future.

    I also want to wish all the best to Marco Mattiacci, whom I know to be a highly regarded manager and who knows the company well. He has accepted this challenge with enthusiasm.”

    Photo credit: Ferrari F1

  • CONFIRMED: Stefano Domenicali Steps Down as Ferrari Team Principal

    CONFIRMED: Stefano Domenicali Steps Down as Ferrari Team Principal

    In a shock announcement that first did its rounds as a rumour on Twitter, Ferrari have announced that Stefano Domenicali has stepped down from his role as team principal at the Maranello based team..

    Domenicali who has been the team principal for Ferrari since 2008, handed in his resignation today. Ferrari Americas CEO and President, Marco Mattiacci, will take up the role as the new team principal for Ferrari’s F1 team. Mattiacci will take over with immediate effect.

    Although some would argue that Domenicali had it coming, the resignation comes as somewhat of a surprise.  Back in September last year, Ferrari President Luca Di Montezemolo was quoted as saying that Domenicali’s job was not on the line and that should he leave, he would be missed. He also indicated that narrowly losing the last two Drivers’ World Titles was no fault of Domenicali’s. “Over the past three years, we have lost two drivers’ world titles at the last race and it was not his fault,” di Montezemolo said at the time.

    This lead us to think that Domenicali was safe in his position. But it seems that things have been getting increasingly frustrating at the Scuderia with di Montezemolo’s patience wearing thin.

    Marco MatiacciOne cannot help but wonder whether Domenicali may have been pushed to resign by Ferrari President Luca Di Montezemolo. Since taking over as team principal for Ferrari, he has not had much success. He’s had a string of second place finishes in the Constructors’ Championship but no World Championship titles to boast about.

    Domenicali’s replacement, Marco Matiacci does not have much Formula 1 experience at all and seems a strange choice.

    Before his appointment as team principal, he was the President and CEO at Ferrari North America. It does seem a bit of a curious appointment as Matiacci’s field of expertise is business development, rather than technical F1 management.

    This could point toward the start of a bigger reshuffle at the Maranello based team, and all eyes will be on the Prancing Horse for future announcements.

     

     

  • Doubt over Fernando Alonso’s fitness for Austin GP

    Doubt over Fernando Alonso’s fitness for Austin GP

    There is a possibility that Fernando Alonso will not travel to the US for the Austin Grand Prix this coming weekend.

    Alonso needs to undergo another medical check today before being cleared to fly on Tuesday following the high G-force knock he took during the race in Abu Dhabi.

    Despite passing medical tests following the race, and Ferrari reporting that he was fit to race in Austin, the 28G impact suffered means he will need to undergo another test today before a final decision can be made.

    Highly respected correspondent for Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, Pino Allievi, said that Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo “is not even remotely” contemplating the prospect of Alonso sitting out the race.

    However, following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Alonso had reported some back pain and his manager, Luis Garcia Abad tweeted a rather alarming photo of Alonso strapped to a spinal board, covered in shock foil blankets during the post-race hospital check. Ferrari were not very happy about the picture being tweeted according to Allievi despite Alonso stating at the Thursday press conference that the relationship between himself and Ferrari “was perfect, is perfect, and will be perfect”.

    Even if Alonso does travel to Austin on Tuesday, he would still need to pass the FIA’s own medical checks on Thursday before finally being cleared to race.

    Allievi has also said that if Alonso should fail his medical check today, Ferrari would most likely draft in Jules Bianchi, who races with Marussia but is part of the Ferrari young driver programme. Marussia are bound by contract to release Bianchi, should the call come from Ferrari. Their second choice reportedly, is Pedro de la Rosa.

    Word however from Spain and Maranello are that Alonso should be cleared fit to race.

    We will keep you posted as news becomes available.

    Photo credit: Photo tweeted by Alonso’s manager, Luis Garcia Abad on Twitter.

     

  • Ferrari and 15000 fans pay tribute to Felipe Massa

    Ferrari and 15000 fans pay tribute to Felipe Massa

    Over 15000 fans were at Mugello this weekend to pay tribute to Felipe Massa ahead of his final two races for the Scuderia before he is replaced next season by Kimi Raikkonen.

    Massa who has been with Ferrari since 2006, partnering Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, has had 136 outings for the team which includes 11 race wins.

    During the farewell event – held at the same track where Massa had his first F1 test with Sauber back in 2001, Massa was given a 1.2 metre trophy inscribed with each of his eleven race wins.

    Speaking at the gala event, Massa said that he is truly going to miss the Ferrari family and the friends he has made over the years.

    “I’ve been lucky, I have had a great career with Ferrari, longer than I had ever dreamed of at the start,” Massa said. “When I began racing in go-karts as a kid, I had a red Ferrari suit and it’s always been the team I supported. Even when Senna was at McLaren and Piquet at Williams, I was cheering for Ferrari!

    “We began our relationship in 2001 and I have raced for them for eight seasons, which is a very important part of my life. I have so many friends at Ferrari and I will miss them, as I will also miss the nice days I spent at the factory in Maranello. I am happy with the way my time with the Prancing Horse turned out.”

    Massa reminisced about the memories he will take away with him but said that the wins, particularly in Brazil when the title slipped through his fingers, will stay with him for the longest.

    “These are memories that will stay with me always, just like so many other beautiful moments spent together, starting with the wins. For example, I think back to the wins at Interlagos, because for a Brazilian, to win your home race is something amazing. Sure, the dream just slipped out of my grasp, namely winning the world title in front of my home crowd, but that wasn’t the race where I lost the 2008 title: when you finish second by a point the key moment could have come at so many different places and I’m thinking of Singapore for example, or Budapest, or others still…”

    Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo spoke of Massa with great praise and thanks. “Felipe has been a true Ferrari man and he will always be part of our history,” he said. “For all the Grands Prix he drove for us, for the wins, the pole positions and for those few seconds when he was world champion that day in Brazil, before that overtaking move that always seemed a bit strange to me,” he continued. “We spent some great times together, while some others were more difficult, such as the accident in Budapest.

    “These have been very busy years and today, I wanted to thank him publicly, having already done so privately, just the two of us,” he continued. “I think the decision to go our separate ways is the right one, both for us and for him. It’s time for a change and also to find new motivation. I wish Felipe every success, starting with the last two races of this championship. As for the rest of his Formula 1 career, I wish him the very best, but naturally, behind a Ferrari and anyway, I am sure we will get many chances to meet up again, because life is long and he will always be part of our family. When one has a mutually agreed separation, in the best interests of both parties, it can be done calmly in a friendly and constructive manner, and that has been the case this time.”

    Photo credit: Massa photo by Ferrari

     

  • Confirmed – Raikkonen to Rejoin Ferrari in 2014

    Confirmed – Raikkonen to Rejoin Ferrari in 2014

    Ferrari have announced that Kimi Raikkonen will return to the team for the 2014 season.

    Raikkonen, who will partner Fernando Alonso, is said to have agreed to a two-year deal. It is believed that Shell will be footing the bill for Raikkonen to join the team. The Finn will reportedly earn 20 million Euro per season. Another alleged condition of Raikkonen’s contract includes his current race engineer, Mark Slade, make the move to Ferrari as well.

    Raikkonen’s return to Ferrari comes on the heels of months of speculation about fragile negotiations with the Lotus team. Raikkonen was believed to have asked for a closer working relationship between Lotus and the Renault factory. Reports had also been making the rounds about Lotus inability to pay Raikkonen’s wages.

    The end of the first relationship between Raikkonen and Ferrari at the end of 2009 could have been handled better but Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has already been smoothing the waters. Asked about the events surrounding the end of the 2009 season and what happened with Raikkonen Montezemolo said “What happened with Kimi? We won a world championship with him.”

    Attention will now turn to the relationship between Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso as they become the first Ferrari championship pairing since 1954. On a personal level Raikkonen could care less about who his teammate is. On a professional level buckle up race fans because this is going to be some ride.