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MARANELLO, Italy - Ferrari has admitted it will be start the 2015 Formula 1 season on its back foot.
The fabled Italian team has swept away its disastrous start to the turbo V6 era, having pushed hard for the rule change but ending 2014 without a win. Facing reporters on Monday (Dec22 2014), new bosses Sergio Marchionne and Maurizio Arrivabene admitted that reacting to Ferrari's problems has even delayed the 2015 car.
He admitted that "key mistakes" were made in 2014; one of them, perhaps, appointing the inexperienced Marco Mattiacci as axed Stefano Domenicali's successor.
SHAKE-UP 'REVOLUTIONARY'
"I have enormous respect for what he has done for the company in the commercial area," the new Ferrari president said, "but F1 is something else. He was still learning the job but in Ferrari's situation then we could not rebuild the team while waiting for the boss to gain experience."
On a personnel front, the shake-up has been revolutionary. Ferrari confirmed on Monday (Dec 22) that the latest arrival was an engineer who in 2014 helped Lewis Hamilton to the F1 championship -Jock Clear. The team is now negotiating with Mercedes for an early end to the veteran's 'gardening leave' so that he can take over from the departed Pat Fry soon.
BEHIND SCHEDULE
Mattiaci's successor Arrivabene, meanwhile, denied speculation that Bob Bell, Adrian Newey or Ross Brawn would be the next high-profile arrivals at Maranello. "The team is there," he insisted. "There is no great news to be announced, no surprises. We have to believe in the people we have."
However president Marchionne said that while the radical shake-up was under way the nuts and bolts of the design of the 2015 car were falling behind schedule. "Unfortunately," he said, "God does not build racing cars."
He said "mistakes" were made in the foundations of the 2015 project, which is now essentially set as the car has passed all of the mandatory International Automobile Federation crash tests.
"The previous team leadership made strategic decisions with which I disagreed," Marchionne was quoted as saying by Italian publications.
"Decisions relating to the car of 2014 and the preparation for 2015... considering how we finished, how much we spent, where we are... in short, it a mistake. That is why we are now coming from behind - choices made by other people.
'TWO WINS - THAT'S SUCCESS'
La Repubblica quoted him as saying: "2015 will be a difficult year that will put a strain on the whole team."
So, for Sebastian Vettel's first season in red, expectations have been set historically low for F1's most famous and arguably best-resourced team.
"If we win two races, it would be a success," said Arrivabene. "Three a triumph. Four, we are in Paradise."
The fabled Italian team has swept away its disastrous start to the turbo V6 era, having pushed hard for the rule change but ending 2014 without a win. Facing reporters on Monday (Dec22 2014), new bosses Sergio Marchionne and Maurizio Arrivabene admitted that reacting to Ferrari's problems has even delayed the 2015 car.
He admitted that "key mistakes" were made in 2014; one of them, perhaps, appointing the inexperienced Marco Mattiacci as axed Stefano Domenicali's successor.
SHAKE-UP 'REVOLUTIONARY'
"I have enormous respect for what he has done for the company in the commercial area," the new Ferrari president said, "but F1 is something else. He was still learning the job but in Ferrari's situation then we could not rebuild the team while waiting for the boss to gain experience."
On a personnel front, the shake-up has been revolutionary. Ferrari confirmed on Monday (Dec 22) that the latest arrival was an engineer who in 2014 helped Lewis Hamilton to the F1 championship -Jock Clear. The team is now negotiating with Mercedes for an early end to the veteran's 'gardening leave' so that he can take over from the departed Pat Fry soon.
BEHIND SCHEDULE
Mattiaci's successor Arrivabene, meanwhile, denied speculation that Bob Bell, Adrian Newey or Ross Brawn would be the next high-profile arrivals at Maranello. "The team is there," he insisted. "There is no great news to be announced, no surprises. We have to believe in the people we have."
However president Marchionne said that while the radical shake-up was under way the nuts and bolts of the design of the 2015 car were falling behind schedule. "Unfortunately," he said, "God does not build racing cars."
He said "mistakes" were made in the foundations of the 2015 project, which is now essentially set as the car has passed all of the mandatory International Automobile Federation crash tests.
"The previous team leadership made strategic decisions with which I disagreed," Marchionne was quoted as saying by Italian publications.
"Decisions relating to the car of 2014 and the preparation for 2015... considering how we finished, how much we spent, where we are... in short, it a mistake. That is why we are now coming from behind - choices made by other people.
'TWO WINS - THAT'S SUCCESS'
La Repubblica quoted him as saying: "2015 will be a difficult year that will put a strain on the whole team."
So, for Sebastian Vettel's first season in red, expectations have been set historically low for F1's most famous and arguably best-resourced team.
"If we win two races, it would be a success," said Arrivabene. "Three a triumph. Four, we are in Paradise."