Following a disappointing season which saw Ferrari (and Sebastian Vettel) effectively throw away both titles, it appears the Italian team is to drop team boss Maurizio Arrivabene.

The Italian media is claiming that technical boss Mattia Binotto is to replace Arrivabene, possibly as early as today.

While Vettel compromised his own title hopes with a series of unforced errors, Ferrari, having shown mid-season that it had the better of Mercedes, is then alleged to have gone the 'wrong way' in its development of the car, a move which handed the advantage back to its German rivals.

The man driving the claims of the team going the wrong way in its development was Arrivabene, which ultimately led to claims that Binotto was to leave Ferrari in a move that which would trigger an off-season game of musical chairs which could include James Allison heading to Renault. However, Arrivabene dismissed the talk as a deliberate attempt to destabilise the team.

Unlike Binotto, Arrivabene comes from a marketing background as opposed to technical, a long-time executive with Philip Morris, manufacturer of Marlboro cigarettes. Indeed, it was through this role that he first became involved with Ferrari and represented the sport's sponsors on the Formula One Commission from 2010.

In late 2014, Arrivabene was appointed team principal at Ferrari, replacing the hapless Marco Mattiacci, who only months earlier had replaced Stefano Domenicali.

Interestingly, it was Ferrari chairman, Sergio Marchionne, who appointed Arrivabene, and in the wake of end-of-season reports that his position was under threat, the Italian snapped "My position? Ask, Camilleri", referring to the new Ferrari chairman following Marchionne's passing in the summer.

Ferrari, never the most outgoing team in terms of the media, is remaining tight-lipped on the speculation, but it is clear that after last year's failure(s) change is needed.

Binotto first entered F1 in 1995 with Ferrari, initially working with its test team. Promoted to the race team he subsequently engineered for Eddie Irvine, Rubens Barrichello and ultimately Michael Schumacher.

In 2005 he was appointed Chief Engineer Race and Customer Engines, subsequently being appointed Head of Engine Assembly & Track Activities and then Chief Track Engineer in 2010.

In 2013 he joined Toro Rosso as Race Engine Manager, returning to Maranello just a year later as Engine and Electronics Vice Director. Head of the Power Unit department between 2015 and 2016, following James Allison's departure for Mercedes, Binotto was appointed the Italian team's Chief Technical Officer.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by mickl, 07/01/2019 20:57

"Binotto is probably a stop gap till Todt finishes his tenure as FIA muppet in 2021. He's said he won't seek re-election and he'll be able to look at all the other teams tech and IP submissions for the newly ratified formula before leaving...................................."

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2. Posted by Elf Team Tyrrell, 07/01/2019 19:26

"You've gotta love those comedians at Ferrari.....they sure do bring a smile to the paddock."

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3. Posted by Burton, 07/01/2019 18:29

"Won't Binotto be missed on the technical departments?"

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4. Posted by nonickname, 07/01/2019 15:40

"Geez, and the Pope thinks he has problems,"

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5. Posted by Yeyox02, 07/01/2019 15:26

"The problem with Ferrari is that they're Italian and each of them believes they're gods. They do not know what teamwork is."

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6. Posted by Rock Doc, 07/01/2019 13:37

"Way to shoot yourself in the foot.

Under Arrivabene, Ferrari are the only team to have been able to match and actually scare Mercedes in the hybrid era. No one else has come close."

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7. Posted by Lapps, 07/01/2019 13:13

"I wonder what Binotto thinks of each of the Drivers and whether he was consulted on LeClerc’s promotion? For sure it will be an interesting year at Ferrari.

Now isn’t there another Marketing Man running another F1 Team less than successfully?"

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Arrivabene out at Ferrari?

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