The team have failed to capitalise on the opportunity new hybrid engines have
presented, with Mercedes dominating the opening races, while Alonso and
Raikkonen finished a distant ninth and 10th in Bahrain.
Ferrari president, Luca di Montezemolo, was present at the race in Bahrain but
left early, with his crestfallen face telling the story about the team’s
current beleaguered standing.
The team last won the coveted drivers’ championship with Raikkonen in 2007,
but since then they have struggled to match Red Bull, missing out on the
championship with Alonso at the final race of the 2010 and 2012 seasons.
Domenicali, who joined the Scuderia in 1991, took over from Jean Todt ahead of
the 2008 season, after eight years in which the team won six titles.
He follows Martin Whitmarsh, the former McLaren team principal, in paying the
price for consistent underperformance. The move will inevitably fuel rumours
that Ross Brown, the ex-Ferrari technical director and Mercedes team boss,
is eyeing a return to Formula One.
Domenicali said: “There are special moments that come along in everyone’s
professional life, when one needs courage to take difficult and very
agonising decisions.”
“It is time for a significant change. As the boss, I take responsibility,
as I have always done, for our current situation. This decision has been
taken with the aim of doing something to shake things up and for the good of
this group of people that I feel very close to.
“With all my heart, I thank all the men and women in the team, the
drivers and the partners for the wonderful relationship we have enjoyed over
all these years. I hope that very soon, Ferrari will be back where it
deserves to be. My final words of thanks go to our president, for having
always supported me and to all our fans. I only regret that we have been
unable to harvest what we worked so hard to sow in recent years.”
In a statement, Di Montezemolo added: “I thank Stefano Domenicali, not
only for his constant dedication and effort, but also for the great sense of
responsibility he has shown, even today, in always putting the interests of
Ferrari above all else.”