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Di Montezemolo hints at end of an era at Ferrari

Di Montezemolo hints at end of an era at Ferrari

  • Published on 09 Sep 2014 11:36
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
All signs continue to point towards a major change of direction at crisis-struck Ferrari. Although long-time president Luca di Montezemolo played down the waves of speculation at Monza, his likely successor Sergio Marchionne issued a series of highly critical statements about the 67-year-old on Sunday.

Italy's specialist Autosprint then published a photo of Marchionne, being driven in a Maserati road car, leaving the area of Montezemolo's office within the factory grounds at Maranello on Monday.

Even the formerly combative Montezemolo now seems resigned to departing, as Marchionne - chairman of Ferrari's 90 per cent owner - looks to pull back the current separation between the fabled Italian marque and the Fiat-Chrysler empire. "Ferrari is now American," Montezemolo reportedly told close associates, according to Corriere della Sera newspaper. He added that it is "the end of an era".

Also undergoing a major change of direction, albeit amid less headline-grabbing controversy, is the reigning world champion team Red Bull. Daniel Ricciardo has requested number 1 status for the rest of his 2014 title campaign against the dominant but warring Mercedes pairing, which at the moment boss Christian Horner is unwilling to cede.

But it is tough times for the team's reigning quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel, who is said to now be seriously considering a big-money offer to spearhead the new McLaren-Honda campaign. In an interview with the German at Monza, F1's official website asked Vettel about the "impression" he gave at Spa-Francorchamps "that the team is no longer fully behind you".

Vettel denied that, but the very same impression returned with force at Monza. In a friendly interview with Spanish television immediately after the Italian grand prix, Vettel reportedly said: "It seems that Spanish television sometimes has more faith in me than my own team does."

Red Bull official Dr Helmut Marko played down Vettel's remarks. "That was just the first emotion that came out of him. He was naturally disappointed that his teammate beat him, although in qualifying he was better than Ricciardo. I think it was a very normal reaction," the Austrian insisted to German television Sky. (GMM)
F1 News Daniel Ricciardo Sebastian Vettel Mercedes McLaren Ferrari Honda

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Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China
Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria
Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
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AU Daniel Ricciardo 3
  • Team Visa Cash App RB
  • Points 1,049
  • Podiums 24
  • Grand Prix 175
  • Country AU
  • Date of b. Jul 1 1989 (34)
  • Place of b. Perth, AU
  • Weight 64 kg
  • Length 1.75 m
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