Ferrari must take risks to win again in F1, says team boss

[ManFromMilan]

Ferrari team boss Marco Mattiacci says the Maranello outfit must be braver and embrace risk in its new era if it is to win titles in Formula 1 again.

In an exclusive interview featured in this week's AUTOSPORT magazine, where Mattiacci reveals his plans to get Ferrari back to the front of F1, the Italian declares it essential that the team shakes off a culture of conservatism that has been prompted by a fear of failure.

"We have to embrace risk," says Mattiacci. "To embrace the utmost co-operation. Dialogue. To be brave. That is the most important thing for me."

Mattiacci has begun to make changes to Ferrari's infrastructures - with a shake-up of its engine department already completed - and he says that his vision is of a very different type of team in the future.

"These are very important changes," he explains. "We are clear where we want to go. So I don't know if you can call the changes big, but they will be important.

"I think that Ferrari is going to look different. And the story will tell if it will be better.

"But the change will be across the board - most importantly cultural change and discontinuity. These are the most important things."

BLAME CULTURE MUST END

Mattiacci also points out that one thing that has annoyed him since taking over as Ferrari team principal is the blame culture that has existed within the Maranello squad's organisation of separate departments.

"I don't like it when the engine people talk to me about the chassis for the first five minutes. I don't like that the chassis people talk to me about the engine. We talk about the car," he said.

"Everybody has to share the responsibility with that car. There is no 'we did better than you', or 'we did this because you asked'."

"Everybody is responsible for that car in the same way."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115447

[TonyRizza]

liked him since day 1 lets hope the risks pay off

[bonzo]

Getting rid of Stefano's legacy?? MM is facing a difgicult challenge.

[shamim179]

Ironically, appointing Mattiacci himself is a risk and I'm sure he knows that too.

Unfortunately, whenever someone does something wrong there is a good chance of getting fired. That fear will not suddenly go away. And of course you'll get a blame culture to divert the blame onto somebody else because you're thinking about safeguarding your job. Excessive politics is detrimental to the success of any organization particularly F1 where the level of competition is incredibly high.

[GrndLkNatv]

Ironically, appointing Mattiacci himself is a risk and I'm sure he knows that too.

Unfortunately, whenever someone does something wrong there is a good chance of getting fired. That fear will not suddenly go away. And of course you'll get a blame culture to divert the blame onto somebody else because you're thinking about safeguarding your job. Excessive politics is detrimental to the success of any organization particularly F1 where the level of competition is incredibly high.

I think if you read a little bit around the web you will find that Mr. Mattiacci was put in place by Johnny Elkann and Sergio Marchionne. Here over the next couple of years Mr. Montezemolo will be phased out and Marco Mattiacci will take his place, to the point that Marco Mattiacci actually runs Ferrari for Johnny and Sergio.. IMHO...

[Paulpg87]

Clear answer to Marmorini and his pathetic "it's not my fault if the engine sucks" comment of the last week

[Lebaronrouge]

Of course he doesn't want to hear that the aero department blames the engine department.... but that is just words. Yes they have to work together, of course, but if one part of the car is problematic, you have to point the problem and not hide it. If the engine sucks, you have to say it and solve the problem... if the aero sucks, the same.

It is not a shame to assume the wrongs, if one department fails to do a good job, they have to point the problem in their working session and they have to manage that in order to not turn it into an internal war....

But more important, they have to stay together against the outside, the media, others teams and don't show their disagreement. Since know and from the outside, no one in Ferrari blames the engine department in public and without Mattiacci's interview that things should have remained like that. Unfortunately, thanks to Mattiacci, we know that there is internal war in Ferrari, and thanks to his decision to fire Marmorini we know that HE thinks the engine is THE problem.

So, first of all, Ferrari should stop to fire every engineer when a problem appear, and after, maybe the internal situation will calm down

[Brembo]

One thing he should make clear to all departments is , equality among engineers with regards to a final solution to the car giving the best results on the track. "Basta ca'' o paga e buon." " As long as I get paid ", should not be the thought among the employees. Just in case someone from Ferrari is here reading: Che e' quello per cui vengono pagati. Un aspetto al quale dobbiamo prestare particolare attenzione e' l'uguaglianza !

[ManFromMilan]

I hope that we can see aggressive upgrades this year already to the car, that would serve as a test bed for next year. Hopefully the exhaust solution will pay off with regards to more power and greater competitiveness in this race.

[bonzo]

I hope that we can see aggressive upgrades this year already to the car, that would serve as a test bed for next year. Hopefully the exhaust solution will pay off with regards to more power and greater competitiveness in this race.

How aggressively can you update a "frozen" PU??

[ALO]

I agree cuz I've been an Automotive Engineer for 16yrs and yes this is the normal culture in most companies both: "as long as I get paid mentality and the blame game mentality".

This is just how it happens when you have strong ego's trying to get their ideas to design, not everyone can have their idea generated and there's always internal criticism and low motivation amongst those who's ideas don't win out. The best solution is a few good leader's willing to take the blame with very good technical followers much like worker bee's if you want to solve infighting and get good ideas out the door.

[ManFromMilan]

How aggressively can you update a "frozen" PU??



Well, we will see what gains there is this weekend;-)

[sav_pap]

No need for risks😄 only suitable and determined people.

[hogo]

I think if you read a little bit around the web you will find that Mr. Mattiacci was put in place by Johnny Elkann and Sergio Marchionne. Here over the next couple of years Mr. Montezemolo will be phased out and Marco Mattiacci will take his place, to the point that Marco Mattiacci actually runs Ferrari for Johnny and Sergio.. IMHO...

Yes I read that blog and laughed out loud! :lol True story is this tho: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/113521