148 replies to this topic

[eronrules]

this according to www.affaritaliani.it and sited by many other sites including Reuters

 

google translate page link

 

original page link 

 

Ferrari leaving rumor according to German site Speedweek  (translated)

 

 

 

The 66 year old Montezemolo played in the rescue of the ailing national carrier Alitalia is not only a fundamental role in the background, the current Ferrari boss going with the newly established airline also the the top captain Send assume - in his place at Ferrari will John Elkann (38) move, president of the Fiat Board and grandson of the legendary industrialist Gianni Agnelli.

 

 

[SophieB]

Going to stick a question mark on this one for now, eronrules. When/if it comes true, you can remember you were in on the ground floor or whatever.

Edited by SophieB, 08 August 2014 - 13:32.
edited title

[pRy]

[Ross Stonefeld]

I could maybe see Montezemolo losing out to a FIAT family member, but to run an airline? No one wants that job.

[Nemo1965]

 

I was suprised too, untill I read the Autosport Feature: ‘The Family’ losing its grip on Ferrari (august 6th, I believe). I won't quote the article verbatim (the mods would like that), but from the article it is clear that Luca di M. is slowly but surely losing his power and principality in the Rome that is called Ferrari...

Edited by Nemo1965, 08 August 2014 - 13:51.

[eronrules]

I could maybe see Montezemolo losing out to a FIAT family member, but to run an airline? No one wants that job.

 

actually, a part of speedweek article gives some reasoning as to why ...

 

 

 

According affaritaliani.it Luca Montezemolo has buried his ambitions to go into politics. ... He was also rumored to want to play a leading role in the new Fiat-Chrysler Group, but nothing came of it: There sit John Elkann as chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne as firmly in the saddle. Since then, the relationship is considered to be cooled.

[Fastcake]

I wondered back when Domenicali was replaced if this was the result of Montezemolo himself coming under pressure. Marco Mattiacci was a rather baffling appointment, but it makes a lot more sense if you're under pressure and the new guy is close to your boss.

 

After reading this interview with Alda Costa earlier, it may be a positive thing for Ferrari if Monty was to move on...

Edited by Fastcake, 08 August 2014 - 15:01.

[Timstr11]

PitLaneTalk ‏@pitlanetalk  2m

BREAKING NEWS: Our sources confirm Ferrari will announce Luca di Montezemolo is set to leave the team within next few days. #F1 #Formula1

[David1976]

Wow.  I expect a much needed sea change at Ferrari.  This cannot be a bad thing for Alonso as it strengthens his negotiations.

[eronrules]

 

PitLaneTalk ‏@pitlanetalk  2m

BREAKING NEWS: Our sources confirm Ferrari will announce Luca di Montezemolo is set to leave the team within next few days. #F1 #Formula1

 

last of the Leviathans leaving F1 if the rumors are indeed true. end of an era for Gestione Sportiva as well. 

[Cyanide]

Looks like Ferrari are undergoing the much-demanded clean sweep.

 

Let's see how that works out but this calls for another few years before they get back on their feet. 

[Owen]

Long term; surely it's a positive.

[Ferrari2183]

This is rather sad news as far as I'm concerned... Luca Di Montezemolo has played an integral part in the success of Ferrari and I don't just mean the Formula 1 team.

[Ross Stonefeld]

And you lose one of the only people in F1 with any clout and that will make noise against Bernie. For his own aims obviously, but it's better than the spineless types like Lauda.

[eronrules]

And you lose one of the only people in F1 with any clout and that will make noise against Bernie. For his own aims obviously, but it's better than the spineless types like Lauda.

then again, Lauda isn't necessarily the 'El Presedente' of MGP, he is a marketing-executive-sort-of-Half-Team-principle. same with Ron Dennis, once he was mclaren, now he is CEO of Mclaren automotive corporation, so, in a sense, LDM is the last of the kings/Dicators (apart from VJM   ). Mattiachi is already a Fiat appointed Marketing executive, and i'm assuming Ferrari will fowllow that structure soon. 

[Slackbladder]

Wow wow wow, big changes

[Szoelloe]

well well. So the old war dog decided to retire. This will send Ferrari in turmoil for 2 - 3 seasons unless they get someone with very big balls and F1 background to kick axx. Poor FA.

[Gyno]

I guess he got tired of all this **** we call F1 these days.

[Atreiu]

Which he helped create, by the way.

[Spillage]

My initial feeling is that this can only be a good thing for Ferrari, but I am intrigued. Why would he leave mid-season? Is he jumping, or is he being pushed? Or is he jumping before he can be pushed? Will FIAT now take more direct control in running the team?

[Timstr11]

My initial feeling is that this can only be a good thing for Ferrari, but I am intrigued. Why would he leave mid-season? Is he jumping, or is he being pushed? Or is he jumping before he can be pushed? Will FIAT now take more direct control in running the team?

Montezemolo is not running the team on a day-to-day basis.  Matiacci is and before him Domenicali.

[oetzi]

And you lose one of the only people in F1 with any clout and that will make noise against Bernie. For his own aims obviously, but it's better than the spineless types like Lauda.

Elkann's an even more interesting character than his press suggests. I very much doubt he'd care about pissing off Bernie. He's a long way from stupid, too.

[Longtimefan]

Good riddance.

[ArkZ]

End of an era, not only for Ferrari but for F1 as a whole too.

[ApexMouse]

Good riddance.

Strange, I thought he like Michael. 

[Atreiu]

My initial feeling is that this can only be a good thing for Ferrari, but I am intrigued. Why would he leave mid-season? Is he jumping, or is he being pushed? Or is he jumping before he can be pushed? Will FIAT now take more direct control in running the team?

 

The rest of the world doesn't revolve around the F1 calendar.

[RedRabbit]

If he does end up leaving, I dont see it as the potential set back some are making out. If what Costa says has any truth to it, it may free the race team up a bit and actually end up with a quicker return to winning ways.

[garagetinkerer]

Strange, I thought he like Michael. 

The sordid affair and rumours surrounding it are all there on the web, and now for quite a bit. Montezemolo reportedly couldn't wait to get rid of an inner circle in Ferrari which included Todt and some close to him (which included Schumacher). Heck even in Schumacher's first season, Todt revealed later, there was a lot hanging on them winning 3 races, as Montezemolo had declared the same during the launch of the car. Todt even suggests that jobs, and not just his were on the line.

 

I have immense respect for the man... for bringing Ferrari as a company to where they are, and you can't praise him enough for that. Then again, as Costa rightly pointed out, the racing team, it got a bit too Italian, too soon after Todt left.

[MikeV1987]

Cool, don't let the door hit your arse on the way out, Luca!

Edited by MikeV1987, 09 August 2014 - 08:46.

[Ducks]

Making room for Brawn.   

[sopa]

As people have mentioned, LDM has done good things as well as established Ferrari where it currently is. And he has been quite active politically. However, as with everything, there is a time, when it is needed to move forward. In F1 terms, it can't get much worse any more. So a complete overhaul of management in Ferrari in 2014. Let's see, what will new people with new ideas bring.

[pdac]

I wonder if this could be the prelude to Ferrari leaving F1 altogether. Another bad season could do it.

[Jvr]

I wonder if this could be the prelude to Ferrari leaving F1 altogether. Another bad season could do it.

I doubt that, Ferrari needs to be part of top tier motorsport championship series for marketing purposes and their history in F1 is long. However I just wonder what this means to their LMP plans, if I remember correctly Luca was warming to the idea of Ferrari returning as a works team.

Edited by Jvr, 09 August 2014 - 11:09.

[Jvr]

This is interesting:
http://www.repubblic...emolo-93433032/

If I understand correctly, it is possible that Ferrari will not be part of Fiat-Chrysler merger and will be listed as a separate company, because Ferrari does not want to follow rules implied by listing the parent company to NYSE. Also it is suggested that the Alitalia-Etihad role for LdM could be non operational one and he would also continue heading Ferrari.

Edited by Jvr, 09 August 2014 - 11:29.

[wrcva]

it is a bit sad as he made great contributions to the racing world but his ego got the best of him (as far as the racing side of the business) ...

 

He would have been ruling both F1 and the FIAT world now had he appointed Brawn to replace Todt instead of Dom, and it was such an elementary decision, at the time...

[LORDBYRON]

Wow well well, big changes ahead and hopefully Making room for Brawn.

 

oh and Good riddance.

[aditya-now]

 

 

 

He would have been ruling both F1 and the FIAT world now had he appointed Brawn to replace Todt instead of Dom, and it was such an elementary decision, at the time...

 

Sad and true - had he kept Brawn we would have a very different history of motorsport - a different 2009 WDC and WCC, and who knows IF Mercedes would be in F1 now and WHERE Mercedes would be now.

 

Sad that Montezemolo's ego prevented this from happening.... Alonso might have 5 WDCs now, as he would well deserve.

[Guizotia]

Wow well well, big changes ahead and hopefully Making room for Brawn.

 

oh and Good riddance.

 

Why would Brawn make a good chairman of Ferrari?  It's more than just an F1 team.

[BRG]

I doubt that, Ferrari needs to be part of top tier motorsport championship series for marketing purposes 

Why?  It hasn't been a problem for Lamborghini.  Nor is it a problem for rapidly growing FIAT brand Maserati not to have any real motorsport presence.  This is just an urban myth.  Ferrari could survive very well (and be far more profitable) without spending a fortune on F1.

 

Why would Brawn make a good chairman of Ferrari?  It's more than just an F1 team.

He wouldn't.  Some people here have no concept of what LdM's job actually is and seem to imagine that he spends all his time on F1, rather than running a car company. 

[SophieB]

More claims of it happening:

@TomWilkinsonF1: #F1 Breaking: Luca Di Montezemolo has left Ferrari. The news is expected to be confirmed in the coming days.
#TWF1 #Ferrari

[Jvr]

Why would Brawn make a good chairman of Ferrari?  It's more than just an F1 team.

That is a good question. Rather I was thinking him as a potential CEO rather than as a Chair of the Board. However, also candidates from purely business operations will have challenges with the racing operations, eventhough it seems e.g. Mattiacci is getting up to the speed at least based on drivers' comments. If LdM leaves, it will be a difficult to find satisfying candidate that would have both racing and business experience. E.g. Niki Lauda's businesses have not been exactly very successful.

Maybe the answer could be Christian Horner...

[noikeee]

Certainly wouldn't miss him. As a neutral - F1 fan with little sympathy for Ferrari -, I'm not sure whether that's a vindication of his management style as a successful lobbier for Ferrari's own interests, but I sure as hell didn't like his public persona one bit.

[kosmos]

More claims of it happening:

@TomWilkinsonF1: #F1 Breaking: Luca Di Montezemolo has left Ferrari. The news is expected to be confirmed in the coming days.
#TWF1 #Ferrari

 

 

just the opposite here:

 

http://www.speedweek...rrari-treu.html

[SophieB]

just the opposite here:

 

http://www.speedweek...rrari-treu.html

 

To save anyone else the trouble of bouncing it through an online translator, what seems to be the meat of that piece:

 

But now affaritaliani.it makes it clear: the Ferrari president will not vacate his postat Maranello, and consequently hold also no new Office at Alitalia. Montezemolo,who repeatedly stressed, that Ferrari is the most important for him after his family,would accept only a representative post with the airline to continue to go aboutits work in Maranello.

 

[four1]

More specifically, LDM is quoted this morning as saying that Ferrari comes first for him, then everything else.

Realistically, besides his passion for Ferrari, it wouldn't make sense for him to leave Ferrari now that it's headed for another record year from a financial results perspective.

[Jvr]

Why? It hasn't been a problem for Lamborghini. Nor is it a problem for rapidly growing FIAT brand Maseratiwi not to have any real motorsport presence. This is just an urban myth. Ferrari could survive very well (and be far more profitable) without spending a fortune on F1.

First, they are very different companies in size: in 2013 Lamborghini sold about 2100 cars in comparison to Ferrari's 7000 and their revenues were 508 M€ vs 2.3B€ respectively.

Secondly, they pursue different stategies where Lamborghini is trying to get market share whereas Ferrari decided to limit and reduce the sales numbers of the cars to maintain more exclusivity in 2013 and succeeded by that to lift unit value and profitability up to 367M€ and they are expected to improve further this year. Lamborghini has not published their profitability in 2013 but when they last did it in 2005 it was not very good (less than 5 M€)

So in my mind staying in a top tear motorsports is essential to Ferrari strategy to maintain the exclusivity aspect and by no means an urban myth. Of course you are correct that they may change the strategy but it is anybody's guess would that be as successful.

Edit: Concerning Maserati, their strategy is not relevant to Ferrari since they operate in different business segments where Ferrari is in the Luxury business and Maserati in the Premium segment, as confirmed by Maserati CEO.

Edited by Jvr, 09 August 2014 - 14:30.

[Jvr]

To save anyone else the trouble of bouncing it through an online translator, what seems to be the meat of that piece:

Essentially that is the same message that was in the la Repubblica article I shared earlier. However it is intriguing if they really list Ferrari as a separate company outside of Fiat group. That would be undoing what Enzo Ferrari was forced to do in order to maintain the racing division alive.

[oetzi]

How would they deal with the emissions regs as a separate entity? Or has something changed re that?

[Fastcake]

Why would Brawn make a good chairman of Ferrari? It's more than just an F1 team.

I'm not sure if people are seriously suggesting Ross Brawn will be the next Don of Ferrari. However, if he was thinking of accepting the role of Ferrari Team Principal, the removal of Montezemolo might be an incentive for him to return. It is not desirable to have a boss micro-managing the race team.

[Jvr]

How would they deal with the emissions regs as a separate entity? Or has something changed re that?

On that I have no idea, just sharing what the la Repubblica was saying.

I find it more interesting and also rather amusing that the story kind of implies that current Ferrari business practises would not be very compatible with the American business regulations and making a guess especially not with SOX...

http://en.m.wikipedi...banes–Oxley_Act

I suppose that was the reason why la Repubblica suggested listing in China (Shanghai)!