Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes Ferrari’s current management structure is just “too Italian” for the Scuderia to bring back the title to Maranello.
Fundamental changes at the helm of the Italian outfit took place under the reign of Sergio Marchionne, with stability strengthening the team’s foundation from 2016 and its performance improving thereafter.
A disastrous second part to its 2017 season deprived Ferrari of a shot at the world championship, but it’s form early on in 2018 positioned itself as a favourite for the title, its SF71-H charger generally perceived as faster than Mercedes’ W09.
However, sustained development of the W09 coupled with more errors in the Ferrari camp from both team and driver Sebastian Vettel saw Lewis Hamilton overhaul once again his arch-rival and now leave him in his dust as the season enters its final phase.
For Ecclestone, Ferrari’s deficit and its inability to secure a title last won in 2008 is a reflection of its all too Italian management which contrasts with the successful and dominate run previously enjoyed by the squad under the guidance of Jean Todt, Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher in the early 2000s.
“It’s too Italian. I said to somebody the other day it’s back to the old days,” Ecclestone told ESPN in Sochi, referring to the lackluster period in the late 80s and early 90s that preceded Todt’s arrival at Ferrari.
“We got Todt to go there and look after things a little bit, so it wasn’t Italian too much, and Michael was running the team. So it was all a bit different. I think they’re missing that sort of a set-up now.”
The contrasting management styles that prevail at Ferrari and Mercedes have a direct bearing on the teams’ respective results, says Ecclestone, with the German outfit managed as a totally independent entity compared to its Italian counterpart.
“Ferrari have got a completely different way of going on to Mercedes, haven’t they?” added the 87-year-old.
“Mercedes has got a team that’s pure, all they do is racing, it’s nothing to do with the manufacturer.
“Ferrari is looking after their car production side of things, gearing that more or less to their Formula 1 performances. So it’s run in a different way.”
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