Former chief track engineer at Ferrari, Luca Baldisserri, says team is running scared.

The Italian, who was moved from his job as Chief Track Engineer during one of the Maranello outfit's numerous purges, was subsequently appointed manager of the team's Driver Academy (FDA), a role he later quit in order to manage FDA protege Lance Stroll.

As he watches his old team lose ground not only to Mercedes but Red Bull and face its first winless season since 2014, the Italian has finally spoken out, claiming that the Maranello outfit is no longer a team but a group of scared individuals.

"Unfortunately neither Marchionne nor Arrivabene have experience in racing, a culture that the Scuderia of today has lost," he told Corriere dello Sport. "They are no longer a team, but a group of scared people.

"There is a climate of fear," he added. "The boys don't take risks for fear of being fired in disgrace."

Referring to the most recent change, which sees the team adopt a McLaren-style of horizontal management following the departure of James Allison, he said: "It doesn't mean anything. The chain of command in Formula 1 has to be more than vertical, it must be military.

"The number ones are there to show the way, to motivate people, to decide, and if you make a mistake, you should not be fired. This happened to Allison, it was a great loss."

Days after Arrivabene appeared to fire a shot across Sebastian Vettel's bow, a move no doubt prompted by Marchionne, Baldisserri said: "Raikkonen is doing better than in 2015, but Vettel a lot worse.

"It's important for Ferrari to recover him and to hold on to him, at least in the short term," he added.

Indeed, one recalls Patrick Tambay's words in the wake of the team's sacking of Alain Prost in 1991 with one race still remaining, the Frenchman having criticised the team publicly. Tambay, himself a former winner with the Maranello team, said that Ferrari appeared hell bent on self-destruction having just fired the best driver in the world, it’s "last hope".

Without doubt there is a problem at Ferrari, and not for the first time.

Baldisserri, who has Ferrari in his DNA, should be listened to, for these are not the words of a disgruntled former employee, rather a man who cares passionately and genuinely about the team.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Yeyox02, 17/10/2016 23:08

"Exactly! Ferrari is not a Formula 1 team, it is a club of egos full of clowns. Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, Stefano Domenicali and Fernando Alonso must be laughing out loud. Italians do not like teamwork."

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2. Posted by gormsen, 14/10/2016 8:18

"Enzo Ferrari must indeed be turning round in his grave seeing what two totally incompetent persons like Sergio Marchionne and his lapdog Arrivabene are dragging the Scuderia into the depths of total destruction.

A start will be to bring back Luca Montezemolo and Ross Brawn as soon as possible !"

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3. Posted by Ted Baker, 13/10/2016 10:05

"Well surprise surprise my prophecy of 3 years ago has come true!!! Since Ross Brawn and co left they haven't a chance now, they should not have got rid of Montezemelo it was he who put the Schumacher -Brawn team together so successfully he knew racing and how to do it. He could have built another team to be successful I am sure.
They have two good drivers but an inept team Principal who knows nothing about racing only how to sell "fags".!! Arrivabene has been a disaster making all the wrong calls and I am not surprised Vettel is getting fed up with it as they have lost several races due to incompetence on the pit wall.
They have got to quickly get a competent team Principal someone like Brawn, Christian Horner or John Booth who can structure a proper team to cope with the complexity of modern F1. They have all of the technical talent but will need someone that can cope with the Gallic temperament.
They certainly are panicking now and this leads to more mistakes by the team and drivers as we have seen. Marchione, typical President, spreading fear of sacking if job is not done only makes matters worse. He is no help whatsoever in fact a hindrance he should keep out of it.

Ferrari must get back to the top.

SO

Bring back Luca Cordero di Montezemelo all is forgiven!!!
"

Baldisserri: Ferrari not a team

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