Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne believes 2015 homologation loophole is first step in improving his team's form.

On the back of a season which saw his team fail to score a victory for the first time since 1993, resulting in a major overhaul which has seen a raft of personnel changes, Marchionne believes the engine development loophole is the first step of the Maranello outfit's road to recovery.

Whilst in 2014, the first year of the new formula, power units had to be homologated by 28 February, this year, following an oversight by the sport's governing body, there is no such deadline, leaving the engine manufacturers free to leave the cut-off date much later.

"Ferrari consists of a thousand people who want to win," he told reporters at the Detroit Motor Show, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. "We have already achieved a good result by being able to make changes to the engines. I consider that an accomplishment."

Following a year which saw the Maranello outfit employ three different team principals, Marchionne insists that he will allow Maurizio Arrivabene to run the team and will not try to interfere.

"I would like to say to the Tifosi that I will go to some grands prix, but we have appointed a team principal and he will deal directly with the management of the team," he said.

"Unfortunately we went backwards, but I don't want argue with those who want to create a controversy and instead we will get our heads down to try to return to winning ways."

Marchionne's optimism will be well received by those concerned at his comments last month when he warned that 2015 would be another difficult year.

"2015 will be a difficult year that will put the team to a real test," he told reporters at the team's Christmas lunch. "2015 will be a reconstitution year," he continued. "It will be Maurizio's first full year with the team.

"We started late with the 2015 car, certain choices and strategies that were made by others and that, in retrospect, I don't necessarily share," he added. "So it will be a difficult year, though I think hopefully within the next 12 months we will remove all the baggage of uncertainty that is going to plague at least the initial phase of 2015."

Chris Balfe

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by petes, 14/01/2015 4:25

"@Canuck, seemingly, not.
Though there could be (and should be) ongoing discussion."

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2. Posted by Canuck, 13/01/2015 17:57

"I don't understand where everybody sees this loop hole as a victory. They collected all the data needed in racing last year after homologation. In the 12 test days they have before the season starts, they will collect data on the new power units, as they can use non-homologated units in these tests, but after Feb 28 they can only use the homologated units, which will be the 2014 unit. The use of a 2014 unit will count towards the allowance of 4 units for the year - therefore 4 units whether 2014 or 2015 units. Also remember that Honda will collect 32 tokens to be applied next year, where as the other teams will have much less they can change. Now if a new engine supplier wants to enter next year or in future years, this homologation will pose a real dilemma as to how F1 can attract new suppliers. Even if Toyota or VW or Ford wanted to enter how many years will they be behind? This is a formative year for Honda so big expectations cannot be for this year and next year they can make more changes that the other teams at which time it will be the others crying about it being unfair. The only question that remains is if Honda is starting with the 2014 homologation rule (reason for this is that a F1 car must only use a unit that has been homologated) does it mean that they can also use 5 engines?"

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3. Posted by Vinicius, 13/01/2015 16:37

"What he knows about F-1? Well, let's watch VET/RAI struggling to be on Q3."

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4. Posted by Nortim, 13/01/2015 14:44

""We started late with the 2015 car, certain choices and strategies that were made by others and that, in retrospect, I don't necessarily share,"
Is that an excuse already"

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Marchionne: Engine loophole will benefit Ferrari

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