New Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne has demanded his team “kick some ass” and take risks in an effort to return to the front of the grid.
The Italian-Canadian recently took control of the manufacturer following Luca di Montezemolo’s departure this month and made clear his priority was to get Ferrari back to the top.
Speaking to Autocar, he admitted taking a risky approach could backfire and result in an increased number of mistakes, but doesn’t believe they have anything to lose considering their current position.
“We’ve got to kick some ass and we’ve got to do it quickly,” said the 62-year-old who is also chairman of Ferrari’s parent company Fiat.
“It takes what it takes. We might screw up, but we’ve got nothing to lose, right? Let’s risk something.”
He admitted he was furious to see how badly the team performed at their home race last month, but insisted the brand is committed to F1.
“I go to Monza and see that the first six cars are not Ferrari or powered by a Ferrari engine, and my blood pressure just popped,” he added.
“[This] continues to be my main objective in terms of Ferrari going forward. A non-winning Ferrari on the Formula 1 track is not Ferrari.
“I can live with periods of bad luck, but it cannot become a structural element of the brand.”
