Binotto to replace Arrivabene as Ferrari boss (2nd Update)

Sergio Marchionne sees great progress by the Ferrari team. Can they win it all in 2018?

UPDATE (GMM) Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne has played down speculation team boss Maurizio Arrivabene could soon be ousted.

Reports have suggested Arrivabene will take the blame for the Maranello team's collapsed 2017 title chances, with technical boss Mattia Binotto to succeed him.

But president Marchionne said in Austin: "We have improved as a team with the set of people we have.

"We have a little bit of trouble, but last year if you'd told me we'd come here in 2017 fighting for the title I would have laughed," he said in Austin.

"But for the most part of the season we have been a credible competitor to Mercedes. It's a recognition of how the team works, so let's not now go and talk about changes.

"We created continuity with the renewal of Kimi and Seb," Marchionne added, "and for now I don't want to say anything else except that continuity is essential."

However, another rumor is that with Kimi Raikkonen signed on for only one more year, Ferrari sees Daniel Ricciardo as a worthy successor to the Finn.

"I watch all of them," Marchionne is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport when asked specifically about Ricciardo.

"We will also have to see where we put Leclerc, Giovinazzi," he added.

As for how Ferrari's season collapsed so suddenly in the recent tour of Asian races, Marchionne answered: "Honestly it started in Monza.

"It's difficult, but from Monza onwards we understood what happened and it will not be repeated.

"I have spoken to Arrivabene and Vettel here and they are focused and still believe in us. They need support, because the chance to recover from here is less than 50 per cent.

"But saying this, Ferrari cannot surrender," said the Italian-Canadian and Fiat chief.

Will Arrivabene survive the Ferrari choke?

10/22/17 (GMM) Reports Ferrari is set to dump its team boss Maurizio Arrivabene may be premature.

Earlier, international reports suggested the German F1 broadcaster Sky had declared that, given the collapse of Sebastian Vettel's title campaign in Asia, Arrivabene would be replaced by technical boss Mattia Binotto.

But Sky's Sascha Roos insisted: "That is not true.

"We just put it out there as a possibility. We didn't say it was going to happen."

Ferrari did not comment.

Arrivabene (L) and Binotto (R)

10/21/17 (GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene looks set to be the victim of Ferrari's terrible end to its 2017 championship challenge.

After consecutive car failures, Sebastian Vettel arrived in Austin needing a clean sweep of wins until the Abu Dhabi finale next month to stand a chance of beating Lewis Hamilton.

But his US grand prix weekend started poorly on Friday.

"It was a bit confusing today," the German said. La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that, after a spin, the decision was taken to change Vettel's chassis ahead of qualifying and the race in Austin.

"We are not worried," Vettel insisted. "The car is fast. For sure Mercedes is too but as I said we are not worried, we just missed a few laps compared to them.

"Let's take the situation as it is and try to make sure that on Saturday the car is quick," he added.

The German F1 broadcaster Sky reports that the consequence of Ferrari's collapsed title chances due to poor reliability is that team boss Arrivabene will lose his job.

Technical boss Mattia Binotto is tipped to replace him.