Marchionne 'impossible' to replace - Wolff
Marchionne 'impossible' to replace - Wolff
Toto Wolff says Sergio Marchionne is "impossible" to replace at Ferrari, but has backed Scuderia team principal Maurzio Arrivabene and chief technical officer Mattia Binotto to steer the team through a turbulent period following Marchionne's sudden death at the age of 66 this week.
Marchionne passed away on Wednesday following complications in surgery. According to reports in Italy he had been suffering from cancer.
He had only officially been replaced as Ferrari chief on Friday, Louis C Camilleri will take the reins of the Scuderia and has already been linked with retaining Kimi Raikkonen in next year's driver line-up, over Charles Leclerc, in a risk-averse move.
Wolff used Friday's press conference to add further tributes to Marchionne, hailing his impact on F1 and the wider automotive world.
"We are Mercedes and Ferrari are our great friends," Wolff said. "I want to use the opportunity to say that we are feeling with Ferrari and feeling with the family and friends of Sergio and we as well are badly shocked by the events.
"He was a friend and ally. A great rival and competitor and will be dearly missed.
"Sergio was a bigger personality than life, somebody that in the meetings and in the strategy group and in the negotiations with Formula 1 and FIA had the most powerful voice and these shoes are impossible to fill.
"With Ferrari, they have a management structure that remains unchanged.
"Maurizio [Arrivabene] was very much in charge for running the team and remains our sparring partner in the sport and Maurizio and Mattia [Binotto] and the group somehow are guaranteed that the Formula 1 team and the operations of the Formula 1 team is going to continue going forward like it has in the past.
"For negotiations with F1, Maurizio is also very much up to speed.
"He was part of most of the discussions, he represents Ferrari in the strategy group so I think it will give the new man coming in a lot of know-how and a lot of information and insofar I think he’s going to be able to catch up pretty quickly but obviously there was only one Sergio Marchionne.
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Red Bull CONFIRM Newey departure and when he’ll leave
- 1 hour ago
F1 News Today: Newey Red Bull exit timeline CONFIRMED as Verstappen in quit THREAT
- 17 minutes ago
Newey SHOCK travel arrangements revealed for Miami GP
- 1 hour ago
Netflix honour F1 legend Senna with new series
- 2 hours ago
F1 superstar taking on FIA over PENALTY decision
- 3 hours ago
Lawyers involved as Newey aims to work for Red Bull rival ASAP
- Today 08:27
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860