The first part of the season, with races a long way from Europe, was not easy for Scuderia Ferrari. The week following the Bahrain Grand Prix brought various changes, including Marco Mattiacci being appointed to run the Gestione Sportiva following Stefano Domenicali’s resignation. There was also the first podium of the year in China, which provided a further boost for the whole team, while it keeps pushing on with the development of the car, aiming to improve its performance.
Today, more than ever before, with under three weeks to go to the Spanish Grand Prix work is in full swing behind the quiet exterior of the Maranello factory. President Luca di Montezemolo has been very clear in his words to Mattiacci and his staff, recognising the need to “step up a gear in the work of the Gestione Sportiva.” These words have been transformed into actions, which have made the decision making process even more immediate, with the aim of optimising the work and the direction of development taken by the engineers in Maranello in real time.
President Montezemolo is involved at first hand in the daily work and is always in close touch with the team. He has asked for an immediate overhaul and streamlining of internal processes, eliminating intermediate stages and bureaucracy in order to be more flexible and efficient when it comes to the decision making process. At the same time, in order to simplify the organisation, there have been cut backs in the number of consultants and admissions aimed at strengthening some key areas to find more performance from the F14 T. Apart from this, suppliers have been asked to provide greater support by reducing the turnaround on parts following requests from Maranello, thus reducing the waiting time for every single component, both in the case of prototypes and of proven elements.
The aim of all these changes is for Ferrari to be able to react more quickly, ready to gather and make the most of information both drivers provide during race simulations, but above all, whenever they take to the track.