Former Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has been appointed president and CEO of Lamborghini, replacing Stephan Winkelmann, with effect from March 15.
Domenicali led Ferrari for seven years between 2007 and 2014, overseeing their last championship victory in 2008, before he was forced out as part of an organisational restructure.
The Italian was taken on by Audi with the aim of exploring new business initiatives. That included evaluating a Formula 1 works team and what it would cost to win the championship.
That report is believed to have been used by Audi’s parent company Volkswagen to assess a possible deal to power and eventually takeover Red Bull Racing – before the emissions scandal killed the idea.
Business at Lamborghini, a subsidiary of Audi, is currently booming with sales up 19 per cent in 2014 and a further 28 per cent in 2015 with sales of 3,245 cars. The company is currently undergoing an expansion which includes the introduction of its new SUV, the Urus, as well as an additional 500 employees.
The company hopes to double sales over the next two years.
Domenicali’s appointment to the top job will likely spark further rumours that Lamborghini could consider an F1 foray, particularly with its plans for expansion.
Outgoing president and CEO Winkelmann will take on the role of head of Audi’s high-performance car division, Quattro GmbH.
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