Ferrari needs sweeping change - Marchionne

MARANELLO, Italy - Ferrari needed a sweeping change after a "disastrous" start to the turbo V6 era in 2014.

That's the view of Sergio Marchionne, the Fiat-Chrysler chief who in 2014 ousted the team's long-time president and figurehead Luca di Montezemolo.

Marchionne was quoted by Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport: "Luca did a great job for 23 years but we (Ferrari) had a disastrous season last year and it was time for a change."

MORE CHANGE AT FERRARI

Indeed, the team is heading into 2015 in a vastly different state, as Marchionne warns that it may be late in the 20-race season before performance starts to improve.

Nonetheless, new lead racer Sebastian Vettel and simulator driver Jean-Eric Vergne have started work at Maranello and more big changes may be just around the corner.

Ferrari insider Leo Turrini claims that legendary South African Ferrari designer Rory Byrne - a mastermind of the Michael Schumacher era - could be working closely with technical boss James Allison in 2015.

Turrini wrote in his blog: "It's true that the brilliant South African never completely severed the umbilical cord but that he is so close to the side of Allison now is a good sign."

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