Marlboro chief to replace Ferrari boss Mattiacci (2nd Update)
11/24/14
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| Ross Brawn (above) will replace Mattiacci if Arrivabene doesn't |
(GMM) Marco Mattiacci has done little to reject rumors he is set to depart as Ferrari's team boss.
Reports throughout the Abu Dhabi weekend suggested the Roman and former Ferrari North America chief, who arrived at Maranello in April to replace the suddenly-ousted Stefano Domenicali, is on the verge of himself being replaced.
The rumors say Marlboro executive and F1 Commission member Maurizio Arrivabene, or perhaps even Ross Brawn, are set to succeed Mattiacci.
When asked if Abu Dhabi was his last race, Mattiacci said on Sunday: "At the moment I am very focused on my job just as I was when I started in April."
It is obvious, however, that more changes may be afoot at Maranello.
Piero Ferrari, the great Enzo Ferrari's only living son, was trackside in Abu Dhabi and he answered "I don't know" as to whether Brawn is set to return.
But when asked if the team's former technical director parted on good terms a decade ago, however, Ferrari insisted: "Yes."
11/22/14
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| Marco Mattiacci to get the boot already? |
(GMM) After just seven months in the job, Marco Mattiacci is set to lose his role as Ferrari team boss.
Germany's Sport Bild on Saturday cited 'well-informed sources' in claiming the 43-year-old Roman will be replaced by the Marlboro Europe brand manager Maurizio Arrivabene.
Mattiacci only took over from Stefano Domenicali in April of this year.
He said on Friday that what had struck him most about F1 since switching from heading Ferrari's North American road car arm was "the intensity, the complexity but also the incredible amount of talented people that are in formula one.
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| Maurizio Arrivabene |
"How amazing is this sport, a global platform, the visibility that specifically in my case I don't like for myself, but which is a consequence of the job," Mattiacci added.
"The level of competition, (the) aggression is really high, so a lot to learn, but at the same time I think I brought an understanding of people, choosing the right people and from here how to create an organization for the future."
Mattiacci has overseen the replacement of the departing Fernando Alonso with Sebastian Vettel, but according to Sport Bild the Italian will vacate his post next week.
"Supposedly," said correspondents Ralf Bach and Bianca Garloff, "Sergio Marchionne was not satisfied with the Roman's work."
Mattiacci's successor, Arrivabene, is no stranger to F1, overseeing Marlboro's sponsorship of the Maranello team and reportedly already close to Bernie Ecclestone.