"In '16 all bets are off," Fiat Chrysler CEO tells Sky F1 at Italian GP
Thursday 10 September 2015 10:51, UK
Sergio Marchionne reckons Ferrari can keep mixing it with Mercedes over the remaining races this season, ahead of their emergence as a “true competitor” once more in 2016.
Speaking at the Italian GP, Marchionne, CEO of parent company Fiat Chrysler and also Ferrari's chairman, said their desire to improve the current SF15-T with a view to more success, while also developing next year's "completely re-designed" car, should be seen as a statement of intent.
"[2016] is a completely different environment, we've been working on the '16 power unit and the car for a while. The difference between this season and other seasons is that we never abandoned '15, '15 had remained front and centre in our development work. That's why we're here today and on the front row," he told Sky Sports F1.
"In '16 all bets are off. We're entering the season with a completely re-designed engine and car; and I feel relatively comfortable that Ferrari will be back and a true competitor, as opposed to being a catch-up artist."
That much was certainly true of Ferrari last season, when they were slow off the mark to develop a new hybrid car.
In particular, their power unit was lacking. However, Ferrari have closed the gap to pacesetters Mercedes this season, with Sebastian Vettel claiming two victories.
The Scuderia didn't win at all in 2014 and Fernando Alonso departed at the end of a season which also saw turmoil off the track, with Maurizio Arrivabene the last of three team principals seen in the space of eight months.
Marchionne was also installed in place of Luca di Montezemolo and says the new-look team, which also includes technical director James Allison and engine director Mattia Binotto, have overseen big improvements.
"I'm delighted with the work that Maurizio has done. Him, James Allison, the guys that have worked on the engine, they're a bunch of people that have really worked their tail off over the last 12 months to remedy what I consider to be some real technical shortfalls," he said.
"Those issues are mainly behind us. I think we're dragging along today some technical limitations about power development of the current power unit, because they're issues that cannot be fixed in the time that we have."
Ferrari introduced engine upgrades at Monza, although so did Mercedes – the net result being that Vettel trailed winner Lewis Hamilton by 25 seconds at the chequered flag.
Even so, Marchionne thinks that Ferrari "have a relatively competitive engine for the rest of the season…I think we can play a significant disturber role in Mercedes track record".
