2016 Ferrari

[Emmcee 0]

Good post Sakae, agree 100%

[Sakae 0]

Sauber has recruited Ruth Buscombe; former Ferrari strategist and then (now former) Haas strategist. I was hoping that after a short trip with Haas, leaving under clouded circumstance, she would have returned to Ferrari. (Allegedly personality clashes at Haas.) Lady is a Cambridge graduate, and seems very smart girl. Well, good luck to her. I am of course not sure, but based on couple of events this year in her absence, it could be loss for Ferrari on strategy side.   

[Sakae 0]

Talent search

I should say that I fully understand and agree, that there are always talents in the shadows of any organization who never get a chance to shine, thus sourcing in-house for capable people is not a bad way to go. What I do not understand what is this (linked) article implying? Marchionne is doing interviews because of ... what? Arri is incompetent, or Marchionne doesn't trust anyone but his own genius only..? He is a lawyer and MBA, hardly an engineer, so what qualifies him to do the interviews what are in essence engineering positions (other the nameplate on his office door)?

The article is naming Brawn and Key - not sure why, because both gentlemen denied repeatedly that they were contacted by Ferrari for the job. 

[Emmcee 0]

This is what I mean, all this, this press about what sergios doing and who is going where and suposidely joining Ferrari, is all having an effect on how the team is functioning and it's showing as they have speed, that's clear. So what happened? 

[KoolMonkey 0]

14 hours ago, Sakae said:

Talent search

I should say that I fully understand and agree, that there are always talents in the shadows of any organization who never get a chance to shine, thus sourcing in-house for capable people is not a bad way to go. What I do not understand what is this (linked) article implying? Marchionne is doing interviews because of ... what? Arri is incompetent, or Marchionne doesn't trust anyone but his own genius only..? He is a lawyer and MBA, hardly an engineer, so what qualifies him to do the interviews what are in essence engineering positions (other the nameplate on his office door)?

The article is naming Brawn and Key - not sure why, because both gentlemen denied repeatedly that they were contacted by Ferrari for the job. 

I still hold the view Marchionne is a cancer that will infect and eat away at Ferrari until such a time as he's shown the door, or he decides he's been too successfull and leaves to go save another company.

He's a fraud and should not be in the position he currently sits in. His qualifications are running big car companys for profit. Not running a F1 team. He NEVER would have even been considered for running a F1 team had he not been the head of FIAT.

Ferrari are doomed. I can't see anyway with him at the helm they can ever get their heads above water to breath and look at the long term, when he's whole manifesto of late is he wants results NOW, or be shown the door.

Sakae, under what circumstances can Marchionne be fired? Is there a board, or surely he reports to and is accountable to someone.

[Sakae 0]

Maybe the notion, mostly propagated by some media, that everyone working in GB is massively clever, while those on the outside are massively "not so smart" is - IMHO - massively flawed. F1 is an international endeavor with people interested in that subject from around the globe. Some names are known as them being repeated in media often, others are not. Probing their own resources is absolutely right thing to do IMO.

[Sakae 0]

2 minutes ago, KoolMonkey said:

I still hold the view Marchionne is a cancer that will infect and eat away at Ferrari until such a time as he's shown the door, or he decides he's been too successfull and leaves to go save another company.

He's a fraud and should not be in the position he currently sits in. His qualifications are running big car companys for profit. Not running a F1 team. He NEVER would have even been considered for running a F1 team had he not been the head of FIAT.

Ferrari are doomed. I can't see anyway with him at the helm they can ever get their heads above water to breath and look at the long term, when he's whole manifesto of late is he wants results NOW, or be shown the door.

Sakae, under what circumstances can Marchionne be fired? Is there a board, or surely he reports to and is accountable to someone.

Accountability...

A word of era now past, which is slowly disappearing from conversations. Marchionne is protected by various contracts, but if we talk about his bosses, plural, rather than singular, than I speculate it is John Elkann (of Angelli clan), and of course shareholders (who can rebel, but will not). If I recall correctly, SM said in one interview, that this is his last term before retirement.

I am also not very found of this man. He collects things, like titles, seats, etc. Not my style, really.

[Sakae 0]

Weird.

 

Actually I do not rate him highly, or at least as high as some other actors, and even if that would be true, I am not sure what he would change.

 

Seb on LM' influence over car design: That will not be much, but...

Quote

“But if they do, I would like twice as many cylinders and less complicated electronics. And maybe air conditioning — we could really use it here in Singapore,” Vettel joked.

 

[KoolMonkey 0]

Paddy and Toto are STILL riding on Brawns coat tails. In this pathetic era of F1, no other team can test or modify or catch up to these guys without breaking rules. Thus other than Toto lying through his a$$ every race weekend saying they are the underdogs, that Ferrari, Red Bull, Arrows, Minardi, are a threat... it's all BS. I'm still not even convinced we've see a Merc go at 100% for an entire race. They have such a clear advantage there.

Had Paddy and Toto been there since day one when Merc was formed, I'd hold a different view. But just like an engineer can look at someone elses work, break it down and understand it, it takes a whole new level to invent it with ones own creativity. Paddy and Toto haven't invented or created anything, they have just keep the ball rolling based on Brawns work, putting together a monster team of talented people. Just like Haug was forced out, so was Brawn.

I'm not sure how I feel about Paddy going to Ferrari. It doesn't feel right to me. I would still rather have Brawn go there, or even Horner.

[Sakae 0]

3 hours ago, KoolMonkey said:

Paddy and Toto are STILL riding on Brawns coat tails. In this pathetic era of F1, no other team can test or modify or catch up to these guys without breaking rules. Thus other than Toto lying through his a$$ every race weekend saying they are the underdogs, that Ferrari, Red Bull, Arrows, Minardi, are a threat... it's all BS. I'm still not even convinced we've see a Merc go at 100% for an entire race. They have such a clear advantage there.

Had Paddy and Toto been there since day one when Merc was formed, I'd hold a different view. But just like an engineer can look at someone elses work, break it down and understand it, it takes a whole new level to invent it with ones own creativity. Paddy and Toto haven't invented or created anything, they have just keep the ball rolling based on Brawns work, putting together a monster team of talented people. Just like Haug was forced out, so was Brawn.

I'm not sure how I feel about Paddy going to Ferrari. It doesn't feel right to me. I would still rather have Brawn go there, or even Horner.

Totally agree with you. Haug, Schumacher, and Brawn launched what is today Merc' success, and all that on much more limited budget.  Despite being a subject of some bad rhetoric, Schumacher, according to Brawn, deserves much credit for car development. It is highly maligned statement, that Rosberg "destroyed" him. My recollection is that Michael was more than worthy opponent to much younger teammate. There were ups and downs in early years with that car, but those were people who have laid foundation of success. Haug, a man seldom credited (like Todt) with anything good, but facts are on his side, since he was the one to deal with, and deflecting some excessive external interference, which is now long days gone, and team has much greater autonomy. Example of it - in season development can go ahead without delays due to having to wait first for approval from the external accounting office, etc.

[Sakae 0]

Ahh?

Quote

The 54-year-old (Lowe) has apparently agreed to terms with the famous Scuderia and he and his wife were at Maranello in recent weeks

Sight seeing, Ok, but Ferrari - please...NO.

[KoolMonkey 0]

Even if that were true, Paddy isn't going to be able to join Ferrari until 2018. Isn't it standard now to have 6-12 months gardening leave for the higher uppers when they change teams?

[Sakae 0]

I read, that in his case its 6 month, but I am not certain how credible that info is. I think its a joke of bad taste really, just as those suggestions, that Whitmarsh or Horner are qualified to replace Ecclestone. 

[Sakae 0]

Bravo!

Wow, wow, wow!

[radical-one 0]

On September 14, 2016 at 3:08 PM, KoolMonkey said:

I still hold the view Marchionne is a cancer that will infect and eat away at Ferrari until such a time as he's shown the door, or he decides he's been too successfull and leaves to go save another company.

He's a fraud and should not be in the position he currently sits in. His qualifications are running big car companys for profit. Not running a F1 team. He NEVER would have even been considered for running a F1 team had he not been the head of FIAT.

Ferrari are doomed. I can't see anyway with him at the helm they can ever get their heads above water to breath and look at the long term, when he's whole manifesto of late is he wants results NOW, or be shown the door.

Sakae, under what circumstances can Marchionne be fired? Is there a board, or surely he reports to and is accountable to someone.

Correct.

Both Him and Smedley should vacate their respective positions In Ferrari and Williams....

[Emmcee 0]

I agree with both posts here

[radical-one 0]

Smedley is bad for Williams. I wonder when they will give him the Axe.

As for Ferrari last Sunday, I was yelling over the top of my lungs not to let Kimi take the last Pit Stop "Stay Out" !!!. I knew it was screwed decision by Ferrari strategist - again !.  

[Sakae 0]

Critique of Ferrari' management in the media continues on a big scale. I wonder if Arrivabene will be there next year. British media accusing him of lack of direction for the team. Moreover, hearing about Marcionne' "hands on" approach also suggest, that SM see weaknesses in Arri' performance. Unfortunately this interference goes both ways; "L-L" situation for both. Pitwall performance during races appears to be weak as well. Communication between RC and Kimi is one for the comedy hour. I thought Jock Clear will provide identifiable step forward, but now I am not sure. Team is probably in need of more changes than just in area of technical improvements.

As of today, 6 races to go, 6 races of hopes, hopefully not false ones. Updates are promised. 

[Sakae 0]

Rumors - Perez has been persuaded to remain for a year with FI, and try to replace Kimi in 2018. I wonder if this plan is endorsed by SF.

[Emmcee 0]

Don't know, but I know a lot of people don't realise he was a Ferrari academy driver.

[radical-one 0]

On 9/21/2016 at 4:23 PM, Sakae said:

Critique of Ferrari' management in the media continues on a big scale. I wonder if Arrivabene will be there next year. British media accusing him of lack of direction for the team. Moreover, hearing about Marcionne' "hands on" approach also suggest, that SM see weaknesses in Arri' performance. Unfortunately this interference goes both ways; "L-L" situation for both. Pitwall performance during races appears to be weak as well. Communication between RC and Kimi is one for the comedy hour. I thought Jock Clear will provide identifiable step forward, but now I am not sure. Team is probably in need of more changes than just in area of technical improvements.

As of today, 6 races to go, 6 races of hopes, hopefully not false ones. Updates are promised. 

Whether Ferrari does better or not in the last few races, Ferrari F1 MUST change it's management. there's no going around a BAD management. You don't REPAIR a bad management, you REPLACE it !

[KoolMonkey 0]

The replacements need to start from the very top. As long as Marchionne is around, Ferrari will not win anything. They also need a proper race strategy head to organize the clusterf*ck that is currently Ferrari out of a brown paper bag.

As for Perez, yeah yeah, more Ferrari talk. There's definately something odd going on with his contract with Force India though. It's not as though he can goto Ferrari for 2017 anyways, and if Kimi continues to do well, whose to say they don't offer him another year.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

And what of Grosjean? Surely the only reason he's at Haas is because he sees it as a step towards Ferrari.

I don't think the blame for Ferrari's malaise can be laid on Marchionne, he's the big boss but he doesn't run the F1 team, in fact as far as I'm aware he's totally hands-off. It's Arrivabene who's responsible for how the team is run, just as Stefano was, and the dude in between whose name I forget.

Anyway wait til January testing with the new rules and the order will have shaken up, Ferrari could well be dominant again and all this talk will be forgotten!

[Sakae 0]

Reports from Italian, German, and British sources were all claiming that Marchionne got very much involved personally in an internal audit of the F1 team, asking questions why is team not on the podium higher up, arguing strategies, and in choosing Alison's replacement. That's where the characterization "hands on" involvement was born.

[Emmcee 0]

I think grosjean pulled of a brilliant move tbh. He would love to drive for Renault. French driver, French team but I think he knew it was a mess there and haas previded the escape. He has now got the ability to make haas into a quite competitive team in the not to distant future of he has to stay put.