Fiat CEO calls Ferrari F1 team's performance "unacceptable"

Amid mounting suggestions of an overhaul in leadership at the Maranello-based company, with chairman Luca di Montezemolo potentially being moved aside, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has made clear his unhappiness at the form of its F1 team.

When asked if a change at the helm of the company was needed, Marchionne told Italian media: "No, I'm just saying this is something that needs to be fixed.

"One thing is to sell cars and get results, quite another is that the essential part of what we do - not the markets - is to represent a winning Ferrari in Formula 1.

"This point is non-negotiable and it remains a totally clear objective.

"We can't accept a situation any different from this. I don't want to see people in seventh position or in 12th: I'm not interested in this and nor is Fiat."

OCTOBER FLOATATION ADDS PRESSURE

Although di Montezemolo told media at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend that he had no plans to step down, that does not stop him being moved aside if Fiat feels new leadership is needed.

And with the new Fiat Chrysler Automobiles company set for a floatation on the New York Stock Exchange next month, there is some time pressure on making changes sooner rather than later.

Marchionne added: "I've been a tifoso for years, and to see Ferrari in these conditions with the best drivers around the world, with excellent people in the garage and some extremely capable engineers; to see all that and seeing we haven't won anything since 2008... no.

"Luca and I are big friends, but when I read those quotes [of his]... those are things I would never have said about myself, not as a CEO.

"I consider myself totally essential, but I perfectly know that I'm at the company's services.

"So, should I make the impression that we are above the rules, above the dependency that exists between the company and its CEO?

"That would be silly, it would be out of this world.

"The important thing for Ferrari is not just financial results, but winning.

"For the last six years we have struggled like hell despite the best drivers.

"Look, both [Fernando] Alonso and [Kimi] Raikkonen are world champions, both of them.

"We just can't...I'm terribly upset, we have been watching for a long time, these things are not well."

Translation by Michele Lostia