Maurizio Arrivabene says it his job to deliver on the ambitious goal set by Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne for 2016.
Ferrari made its debut on the Milan stock exchange on Monday, and the first day of trading had mixed results.
Marchionne, having spun off the fabled Maranello marque from Fiat Chrysler, played down Ferrari’s wobbly financial debut.
"We will only know in a few days where we stand," he said.
He was much more adamant about what Ferrari needs to achieve this year on the race track, declaring that the goal is to beat Mercedes to the world title.
"2016 should be the year for us to return to the top," said Marchionne. "Our investments have not been lacking.
"We want to present ourselves in Australia as the team to beat. We know that our rivals are strong, but we are not afraid of them as we are the most successful team in the history of formula one," he insisted.
Arrivabene, Ferrari’s team principal, has been less brash in his own setting of clear objectives for 2016, but he said his boss’s targets must be respected.
"The moment we take to the test track, we will understand where we are and whether there is reason to be optimistic," said the Italian.
"But Marchionne is the president and it is right for him to set the goals. I have to achieve them and I have no problem with that," Arrivabene added.