- 11 Σεπ 2014, 10:46
#7491
Despite being lined up for a €26.95m (£21.5m) severance deal, outgoing Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo still shed a few tears as he said goodbye to employees at Maranello.
On Wednesday Montezemolo announced he would stand down as Ferrari president on October 13, to be replaced by FIAT CEO Sergio Marchionne. According to Reuters, in return for agreeing not to compete with FIAT until March 2017, he will receive a lump-sum payment of €13.25m on January 31 2015 as well as an extra €13.71m payable in 20 years.
Montezemolo held court in front of the media at Maranello for one last time on Wednesday afternoon as he shared a press conference with new boss Marchionne. The two have clashed over the direction of the brand, with Montezemolo keen to keep Ferrari exclusive and autonomous from parent company FIAT Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) while Marchionne plans to inch up production and use the it to boost FCA's upcoming flotation on the New York stock exchange. Montezemolo had also faced criticism from Marchionne over Ferrari's lack of success in Formula One, following five full seasons without a championship success.
"Winning is essential for Ferrari and I have no doubt we are capable of doing that," Marchionne told the press. "We will do all it takes, also in terms of our resources, to reach this objective."
Montezemolo stressed the importance of changes made under his watch for success in the future: "In the company we have the framework, the means and the personnel to get back on top and I am convinced that it won't be long before we are once again the benchmark team."
It's not only their separate visions for Ferrari that divides the two men, with Montezemolo appearing in a tailor-made suit while Marchionne opted for a more casual look. Joking about the outgoing president's fashion advice, Marchionne said: "As you can see, I didn't listen to him."
According to Ferrari's official website, Montezemolo then returned to the factory to meet with the heads of the production department. The website reported: "While he had managed to remain composed in front of the world's press, he did shed a few tears with 'his' men."
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http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsport ... 18rBGPc.99______________________________________________________________________________________________
Bernie Ecclestone has compared Luca di Montezemolo's resignation as Ferrari president to the death of the company's founder in 1988.
Montezemolo had been president for 23 years after taking charge three years after Enzo Ferrari's death to help turn its fortunes around. He transformed losses into profits in the road car division and by the end of the decade had ended the F1 team's 15-year drought without a title.
Montezemolo first worked for Ferrari in 1973 when he guided the F1 team to championship success with Niki Lauda at the wheel. Ecclestone, who has often clashed with Montezemolo over the direction of F1, said his resignation will be a big shock for both the team and the man.
"I first met Luca in 1973. So yeah, it's a pity. We're going to miss him," Ecclestone told Reuters. "His leaving is for me the same as Mr Enzo dying. He has become Ferrari. You see him, you see Ferrari. You don't see anything else. You don't see Luca."
Ex-FIA president Max Mosley - another old adversary of Montezemolo - said Ferrari had not been the same since Jean Todt left after Michael Schumacher's period of domination in the early 2000s.
"I suppose we're approaching the end of an era in F1, dear old Luca, it started back when we were all so young," Mosley said. "But in truth, Ferrari have never been quite the same since Jean left. If they want to win races again they need to find another outstanding manager."
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http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsport ... mqX1cqT.99
