Sergio Marchionne threatens to pull Ferrari out of F1

Sergio Marchionne threatens to pull Ferrari out of F1

Can you imagine Formula 1 without Ferrari? Neither can I, which is why this threat by Sergio Marchionne is chilling. According to Reuters, the Scuderia could quit F1 after 2020 if the sport’s new owners take it in a direction contrary to the Italian carmaker’s interests.

The Ferrari chairman told analysts in a conference call that while he supported cost-cutting, as pushed by F1’s new owners Liberty Media, there were other strategic issues under discussion that could force Ferrari to relocate.

“It (F1) has been part of our DNA since the day we were born. But if we change the sandbox to the point where it becomes an unrecognisable sandbox, I don’t want to play anymore,” Marchionne said.

To a question on how he would feel about being the man who led Ferrari away from F1, Marchionne said: “Like a million bucks because I’ll be working on an alternative strategy to try and replace it. More rational one, too.”

Sergio Marchionne threatens to pull Ferrari out of F1

By the way, Ferrari is the only team to have been in F1 since the first world championship season in 1950. It is also the most successful team on the grid despite Mercedes-Benz dominating recent seasons – the Scuderia has in its bag a record 228 race wins, 16 constructors’ championships and 15 drivers’ titles.

Along with the Monaco GP, Ferrari is considered as one of the central pillars of the sport’s success, the newswire’s report rightly points out, and their existing share of F1 revenues reflects that special status. However, Liberty Media, which ousted long-time ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone to be F1’s commercial rights owner since January, wants to change the status quo.

The US-based outfit is seeking to level the playing field and rebalance revenues once the current agreement with teams expires at the end of 2020. Marchionne’s threat comes as discussions on the future of F1 are ongoing. A cheaper and simpler engine has been proposed, and there’s another meeting of the sport’s Strategy Group next week to discuss other changes.

Sergio Marchionne threatens to pull Ferrari out of F1

“Liberty has got a couple of good intentions in all of this, one of which is to reduce the cost of execution for the team, which I think is good,” Marchionne said, although he added that Ferrari and Liberty appeared to be “somewhat at odds in terms of the strategic development” after 2020.

“I think you need to be absolutely clear that unless we find a set of circumstances, the results of which are beneficial to the maintenance of the brand in the marketplace and to the strengthening of the unique position for Ferrari, Ferrari will not play,” the CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles reiterated.

If it sounds like the end of the world for F1, it’s not. Not yet anyway. “We’re walking into this meeting next Tuesday with the best of intentions, we’ll see where it takes us. I’m attending those meetings on strategy because it’s important, because it matters a lot to this business. The financial implications of the wrong choice for the moment going forward are pretty significant to Ferrari,” he added.

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • lilytan on Nov 03, 2017 at 6:10 pm

    Unsurprisingly. Another tinkering of the V6 turbo in 2020 will only benefit the mercs.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
    • Mohd Iqbal on Nov 03, 2017 at 8:00 pm

      Should never let Ferrari threaten. So what? Now got Hennesey Venom F5, Pagani, Koeniggseg and many others to ganti Ferrari

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 16
      • F1 and road cars are not the same lah, dude. Even Porsche have to think twice before entering F1. How can you easily ‘ganti’ Ferrari that is in every season of F1 since beginning in 1950?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 3
      • Ravind on Nov 04, 2017 at 3:02 am

        Are you serious?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • citizenjohn on Nov 03, 2017 at 6:51 pm

    V10 – Felali era
    V8 – Renault/Redbull era
    V6 – Mesidis era
    v4 – ???

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 19
    • Dude, when is the V4 going to be used? In 2020, they will still use 1.6L V6.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
      • pondan4 on Nov 05, 2017 at 12:04 pm

        V2 Harley Davidson engine….no high-pitched noice… only bang balls noise

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • GT Fan on Nov 03, 2017 at 7:56 pm

    Threaten only….just like Red Bull after they started losing but in the end still stay in F1.

    F1 is still the biggest global motorsport and Ferrari is like a royalty there. Leaving will greatly diminish the brand.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
  • Jimmy on Nov 03, 2017 at 10:35 pm

    World Cup without Brazil.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • Andrekua on Nov 04, 2017 at 10:14 pm

    I don’t think Ferrari is the greatest deal in F1 anymore. Fans are a lot more diversified nowadays. Yes, no doubt Ferrari is still a huge brand in F1 but leaving F1 could spell doom even for Ferrari itself. F1 is the playground for the riches and by opting out of it, Ferrari could lose more than they can chew.

    Nowadays fans are a lot more into drivers than brands.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • pondan4 on Nov 05, 2017 at 12:09 pm

    whatever… as long as F1 engine still sounds like ah qua… F1 will inevitably die

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • noone watches f1 anymore..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
 

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