In the round-up: Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne says Ferrari need to embrace change.
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Marchionne: “We have the right talent” (Ferrari)
“Do not fear change, be proactive and have the courage to come up with ideas. I know you can do it and that’s what Ferrari needs.”
Mercedes boosted by rivals’ turmoil (Autosport)
Mercedes’ chief designer John Owen: “Our rivals seem to have sacked half their companies – so I think they are in a bit of a difficult situation.”
“Big sponsors are beginning to sever their ties with Michael Schumacher as doubts remain over the F1 legend’s recovery for his ski accident.”
“McLaren boss Ron Dennis, whose team would be required to supply a third car if the numbers on the grid drop to 16 or less, has said that he is minded to help the struggling teams, rather than go the third car route. His view is shared by many, but not all, his peers.”
“The Indian tycoon has had less time for partying as he tries to fend off the banks and other creditors chasing him for the debts that were left unpaid when Kingfisher went under.”
Tweets
Thanks to everyone for the support on here. It really means a lot. #NeverGiveUpOnTheDream pic.twitter.com/FyhRZfgZx8
— Kevin Magnussen (@KevinMagnussen) December 13, 2014
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Comment of the day
Alex is unimpressed with Bernie Ecclestone’s latest interview which featured in yesterday’s round-up:
There is simply no logic in his thinking, no acceptance of facts, no understanding of consequence and no responsibility taken. For example:
“I said we have got this bloody engine and it is a secret. Nobody has told the world what it does and how a wonderful piece of engineering it is…”
Whose job is that? The teams? The engine manufacturers? The press? The sports commercial rights holders? Who should lead that? Some social media would be a good start.
In the meantime, he’s doing his own bad press with interviews like this.
Alex Brown (@Splittimes)
The winner of the latest Caption Competition will be chosen tomorrow so you still have time to enter here:
From the forum
Snapshot
New McLaren driver Fernando Alonso also attended Ferrari’s end-of-season lunch and met Maurizio Arrivabene, the man who replaced Marco Mattiacci as team principal on the day after Alonso’s last race for them.
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On this day in F1
Tony Fernandes gave notice of his new F1 team’s intentions by announcing two grand prix winners would drive for him five years ago today. Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli were the first appointed Lotus drivers since Alessandro Zanardi and Mika Salo at the end of 1994.
TheBullWhipper (@thebullwhipper)
14th December 2014, 0:23
I’m still rooting for Marussia, you would describe them as a ‘real’ racing team. I have a lot of time for John Booth and when Graham Lowdown has something, it’s usually worth listening to. They just want to build fast cars and go racing and I take my hat off to them, after having the smallest budget and missing 3 races, they still beat 2 other teams. That is impressive in my book.
Surely someone will lend them some cash against their winnings, just to get them in the grid at Melbourne, even with last year’s car and PU (as per the offer to Caterham) just start the race and they are quids in. That must be of interest to someone…….. I do hope so!
Stig Semper Fi (@stigsemperfi)
14th December 2014, 1:36
It’s just a shame that all that prize money may never go their way.
McL88AsAp (@deongunner)
14th December 2014, 11:53
Yeah, its annoying that they did not get what they deserved to get
The Abbinator (@abbinator)
15th December 2014, 9:54
It’s an F’ing tragedy, esp considering Bianchi’s Monaco heroics will be for naught.
Fletch (@fletchuk)
14th December 2014, 1:55
+1
I also hope they’ll go back to the Manor Racing name!
MattyPF1 (@mattypf1)
14th December 2014, 8:53
@thebullwhipper couldn’t agree with you more. It’s just an absolute shame that Marussia are still on standby for the 2015 season while Caterham (who won the prize pool in 2010 – 2012 and got nowhere with that money) have had investors but them then leave and now a couple more investors are interested in purchasing Caterham. To me, I’m just speechless and annoyed more than anything. Sure I want Caterham to stay but why are Marussia overlooked for Caterham?
MattyPF1 (@mattypf1)
14th December 2014, 8:54
Buy them* not but
anon
14th December 2014, 13:52
The indication so far is that Caterham’s debts would be more manageable than Marussia’s debts are: although both outfits had fairly slim hopes of surviving, Caterham was the outfit which, from a financial point of view, was possibly more viable.
OK, in theory Marussia would have the higher income for 2015 via higher payments from FOM, but there is some question over whether they could actually claim those payments given that, as Marussia has gone into liquidation and therefore ceased to exist, they have forfeited their FIA licence.
That, in turn, could be a breach of contract with FOM and therefore cost them their right to that money – it is certainly an argument that Sauber has advanced, since they are eyeing up the prize money that Marussia would otherwise have received.
dragoll (@dragoll)
14th December 2014, 1:42
Ferrari really have a self-depricating culture. I’ve seen this in organisations before, where everyone is scared that they’re going to get axed/retrenched that they go into butt saving mode. Unfortunately, what tends to happen with butt saving mode, is that no one works together because they’re all too busy making sure that any errors anyone else makes are pointed out to management.
Ferrari have gone back to their late 80’s and early 90’s mode… It took a team of Michael Schumacher and a bunch of brilliant outsiders including Ross Brawn to dig them out of that dog pile.
Biggsy
14th December 2014, 3:06
That might be true, but there’s nothing that would really suggest that from the article above.
The thing I’m getting from the article itself, is that it sounds like a lazy, state-sponsored propaganda programming on a national TV from the 60s.
@HoHum (@hohum)
14th December 2014, 3:18
The only positive I saw in it was the plea to “dare to be different” but as @dragoll has pointed out the staff might well feel it is in their best interest to remain anonymous.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
14th December 2014, 4:01
What I think it will happen with the new Ferrari is what everyone mistakenly thinks of Ferrari now. Ferrari will do anything to win, competing and being fair hasn’t worked out and hasn’t been acknowledge. Why not pair the fame with profit.
Solo (@solo)
25th March 2015, 14:05
Competing fair hasn’t work out? I guess that is taken by watching other teams? Because Ferrari never where into playing fair.
Baron (@baron)
14th December 2014, 13:41
You have just described the reign of the Founder…..
Harald
14th December 2014, 14:44
Agree and it goes right against what James Allison had pinpointed as what needed to be changed at Ferrari and echoed by Marchionne now: The need to be bold and take risks.
It seems Mattiacci just set Ferrari back by years..
kpcart
14th December 2014, 15:23
calling it a dogpile, when they were not even as low as midfield shows how esteemed Ferrari are, that fans bag them when they are not winning. but you have to realise, you cannot win all the time, not in f1. Ferrari have a more loyal fanbase then other teams, which are manufacturers and corporations – at least Ferrari has a “culture” assosciated with it, in both motorsport and nationality and personality. whether they go about their business slightly wrong and don’t win for a few seasons does not matter, as they are still “Ferrari” a brand that is very rightly so highly regarded with what they have achieved in motorsport and the car industry, they are an icon.
zoom (@zoomracing)
14th December 2014, 4:28
Nice gesture by Ferrari, one last goodbye for Alonso.
Patrick (@paeschli)
14th December 2014, 7:52
Even in Formula E, Vergne’s got some bad luck … broken suspension while running 2nd 2 laps before the end …
Baron (@baron)
14th December 2014, 13:39
i thought it was an interesting spectacle….Vergne was very quick but forgot about the energy saving bit…
BJ (@beejis60)
14th December 2014, 15:10
Crying shame.
Maciek (@maciek)
14th December 2014, 15:17
Ferrari’s philosophy seems to be ‘think real hard about things getting better and they will’.
kpcart
14th December 2014, 15:17
the diehard fans on this website that look into f1 maybe a bit too much should stand back for a moment and understand that ecclestone is probably the only reason F1 is still here. on this occasion I think he is actually trying to fix the sport and not make it worse.
@HoHum (@hohum)
14th December 2014, 20:20
There is a lot more to F1 than ear-splitting exhaust sounds, actually the reason F1 is having problems are all down to Bernie stripping Billions of revenue out of the sport.
petebaldwin (@)
15th December 2014, 10:27
Go on, I’ll bite. Why should the diehard fans on here understand that Ecclestone is the only reason F1 is still here? You’ve said what we should do but not why we should do it…. What is there to understand? Marussia? HRT? Caterham? Putin? Medals? Sprinklers? I’ll admit, I am a bit blinkered with my opinions of Bernie – educate me! Why should I “understand” that Bernie is the only reason for F1’s existence?
You say he’s trying to fix the sport and not make it worse – can you please suggest any of these things he has done over the last 12 months that have either improved anything or have failed to make something worse?
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
15th December 2014, 18:53
You forgot Abu double and the noise trumpets. Just saying.
JohnBt (@johnbt)
14th December 2014, 16:04
I thought Ferrari’s philosophy is strange of late, seems like they are changing underwear every other day. Feels like they are panicking trying to realign the team since the last championship in 2007. Will they be going through another long drought for many years to come. I sure hope not.
synapseza (@synapseza)
14th December 2014, 17:22
““Do not fear change, be proactive and have the courage to come up with ideas. I know you can do it and that’s what Ferrari needs.””
This is precisely the reason why I will be supporting a new team for the first time since 1996. Since the dream break was broken up, Ferrari lacked innovation and just copied the competition. Too much talk and politics and not enough on-track performance. With the last batch of changes I have had enough.
@HoHum (@hohum)
14th December 2014, 20:26
For me that was the only part of the speech of any value, whether it translates into reality or things carry on as usual will be crucial to Ferraris success.
Solo (@solo)
25th March 2015, 14:09
I thought the fact the want there opponents fighting them with one hand behind their back while they get extra privileges would be a better reason not to support them.
Ferrari is like a football team that demands starting a game with three goals in their favor already.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
14th December 2014, 17:52
I think if I worked at Ferrari this I would this slightly annoying because I would know my job, I would know the technology, and I would know what I have to do to make Ferrari maintain a competitive position in the racing series. “I know you can do it” sounds like “I have no idea how we will win”.
Arrows98 (@arrows98)
14th December 2014, 19:58
is it just me or does that sound like is about to enter the self-help book market???
Arrows98 (@arrows98)
14th December 2014, 20:16
*like FERRARI is about to enter the self-help book market???
McL88AsAp (@deongunner)
14th December 2014, 23:39
Change is good. But overcange could give you disaster