quoteFerrari's Pat Fry, Tombazis sent 'on vacation' - reports
Pat Fry is the next major Ferrari name set to depart.
Amid a tumultuous time for the fabled Maranello marque, 2014 has already seen a host of major names including Stefano Domenicali, Luca Marmorini, Luca di Montezemolo, Marco Mattiacci, Fernando Alonso and Andrea Stella all leave.
Reports suggest that as Ferrari faltered so badly at the start of the new turbo V6 era, chief designer Nikolas Tombazis has become the next major scalp.
And Italian reports now suggest that, ahead of former Mercedes chief Bob Bell's apparent arrival, the highly-rated British engineer Pat Fry is also leaving.
The reports, also mentioned by Spain's El Mundo Deportivo, said that while the Greek Tombazis and former McLaren engineer Fry have not yet been officially ousted, they have been sent "on vacation".
"As this is the critical period in the development of the car for next season," the report surmised, "there is no doubt they will be made redundant".
Alongside the leader of the 2015 car project, James Allison, it means the leading technical protagonists at Ferrari in 2015 will be Bell and the newly-promoted Simone Resta.
Two wins for 2015
The new team boss, meanwhile, is the former Marlboro branding executive Maurizio Arrivabene, who this week has given one of his first interviews to the Ferrari media insider Leo Turrini.
He told Turrini's Quotidiano blog: "When people ask me when things will change on the track, I reply that I do not have a magic wand.
"In 2015 it would be enough to win a couple of races - one with Vettel, one with Raikkonen.
"Seb is beginning to understand what Ferrari is. Kimi knows already and, incidentally, Kimi has the advantage of being a normal guy in a world - Formula One - where many, but fortunately not Vettel, are quick to lose touch with reality," Arrivabene added.
"None of us are here to regret the past. We are all here to build the future.
"I have no doubts about our president (Sergio) Marchionne's dedication to our battle. You'll see with time the concerns of those who do not know him will vanish," he predicted.
Arrivabene also spoke more broadly about the state of today's F1, saying: "At the political level, Ferrari asks not what is right for our company, but what is right for anyone who loves the sport.
"Whoever runs the racing world has to realise there is an audience to regain. I'm not interested in speeches about Rolex, I want a Formula One that is as popular as the Olympics and the World Cup.
"It once was so, and we have to go back to those levels," he insisted.
Ousted Sauber driver Esteban Gutierrez has joined Ferrari as their official test and reserve driver for the 2015 season, the Italian team confirmed on Monday.
The Mexican has driven Ferrari powered cars for two seasons in F1 with Sauber, but was dropped ahead of next season in favour of Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson.
However he won't be missing from the paddock entirely after joining Ferrari where he will "be put to good use in the area of car development," and as a reserve driver should Kimi Raikkonen or Sebastian Vettel find themselves unable to race.
"While confirming our full confidence in a formidable race driver pairing, made up of four times World Champion Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, a past champion with Ferrari, I am pleased to welcome Esteban Gutierrez," commented new team principal Maurizio Arrivabene.
"We are pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to Esteban who, although young, has plenty of experience relating to the new generation of Formula 1 cars. I am sure that, with his experience, he will make an important contribution to the development work of the team in the simulator.
"Welcoming Esteban also means opening the gates of Ferrari to a driver from Mexico, a country where the Scuderia still has a lot of fans, just as was the case fifty years ago in the days of the Rodriguez brothers."
Speaking about his position, the 23-year-old added: "It is an honour to become part of the Scuderia Ferrari family, a Team with such an exceptional history.
"It is for me the beginning of a new path for my future and I'm going to do my utmost to contribute to the achievement of the targets set by the Scuderia. I want to thank everybody for their belief in my potential; this will bring a great opportunity for me to develop further and get to the top in the near future. With all my passion and dedication, I’m now looking forward to the start of this new venture."
Maranello, 16 December – Within a few days from his arrival Maurizio Arrivabene, Managing Director of Ferrari’s Gestione Sportiva and Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari, has restructured his team with a flatter structure and clear assignment of responsibilities. James Allison is the Technical Director with two Italian engineers and home grown Scuderia talent reporting to him: Chief Designer Simone Resta and Power Unit Director Mattia Binotto, the latter will be supported by Chief Designer Power Unit Lorenzo Sassi, among others. Furthermore James Allison will direct track engineering activities ad interim.
Therefore he will be responsible for all technical aspects of delivering the Scuderia’s drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel, as well as the newly appointed test driver and third driver Esteban Gutiérrez, with the most competitive Formula 1 car possible. Furthermore, the Scuderia’s Formula 1 activities will be managed by Massimo Rivola, while GT and Corse Clienti racing will be managed by Antonio Coletta. The Ferrari Driver Academy will still be managed by Luca Baldisserri, reporting directly to Maurizio Arrivabene. In addition, Arrivabene will manage the newly founded Commercial Department of the Scuderia ad interim. Renato Bisignani, who until now was the head of Scuderia Ferrari’s Press Office, will join the new department as Marketing Manager and Acquisition.
The press office of the Scuderia will be run by Alberto Antonini, a seasoned Formula 1 journalist and contributor to newspapers and magazines as well as TV commentator for RAI and Sky Italia. Antonini will also oversee the newly created Scuderia Ferrari digital team. Nikolas Tombazis and Pat Fry will be leaving the Scuderia.
Our fellow Italian Kimi-fans can explain it better but yes, the guy is not a Kimi fan. ... From Momo:
quoteAdam Cooper @adamcooperF1 33m33 minutes ago. More changes at @ScuderiaFerrari as tyre expert and former top Bridgestone man Hiroide Hamashima is leaving at the end of the month