Ex-President Luca di Montezemolo feels the unique management structure in place at Ferrari is “not good for today’s Formula 1”
The Scuderia has endured its worst start to a season since 1993 with only a single podium and two other points finishes in the first three races, leaving them fifth in the current Constructors’ standings behind McLaren and Racing Point.
Those results have triggered team boss Mattia Binotto to suggest organisational changes may be needed as part of the effort to turn around Ferrari’s form and Di Montezemolo agrees.
“Ferrari has it totally different from other teams, Binotto is too alone,” he told Radio Rai.
“There are no other teams organised like this. Binotto, who is a young novice as technical director, is responsible for sports management, driver management, technical area and must also deal with politics.
“In my day I had built a team with the best of the best. There were Jean Todt, Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne, Paolo Martinelli and Stefano Domenicali.
“Formula 1 is like great international football, you don’t look at passports, to win you have to look for the best and then grow the men who are there inside of.
“In Ferrari, talents have recently made them go away. First [James] Allison, then [Lorenzo] Sassi, all ended up at Mercedes.”
Such is the hole Ferrari finds itself in, Di Montezemolo claimed “you would feel the walls tremble” at the iconic Maranello factory.
And he also fears that the company is afraid to make the changes it needs to become a significant player again.
“I am very worried because it will not be easy to get out of this situation and also because we should already be working on 2022 when everything changes,” he added.
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“It is excessive to talk about re-foundation, but this organisation is not good for today’s Formula 1.
“I think it is necessary to take the situation by the horns, make courageous choices and make them quickly.
“The pilots are not guilty, but I would never have cut Vettel so far in advance,” he added.
“Too much pressure has been put on [Charles] Leclerc and it is difficult to involve Vettel in a constructive speech since he will leave.”
Giving his view on Ferrari, Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle believes, while it is disappointing, they only have themselves to blame.
“Ferrari has given up a lot of power and straight-line speed due to tightening of the regulations, and Red Bull appears to have stepped on their own tail with aero set-up, hopefully temporarily,” he said in his post-Hungarian GP column.
“Observing Ferrari sitting fifth in the Constructors’ Championship is just painful.
“I don’t have a great deal of sympathy for them as I feel mislead by their performances last year when they were clearly pushing the regulations way too hard, at the same time as we cheered hard and celebrated to finally have a serious challenger for Mercedes.
“And given this is largely their 2021 package too, albeit with a few ‘tokens’ available to improve performance like everybody else, then it’s likely to be a while before they are at the front again.
“They were lapped last year here too but it was still a powerful image when Seb Vettel had to move his Ferrari to one side heading up to turn 4 in order to be lapped by Hamilton.”
