Chase Carey to avoid being "in the way" when Stefano Domenicali takes F1 reigns

Formula 1

Carey to avoid being "in the way" when Domenicali takes F1 reigns

Domenicali must make his own decisions on new direction of F1

Sam Hall

Wednesday 30 September 2020 11:50

Outgoing Formula 1 CEO and chairman Chase Carey has said he is keen to avoid "getting in the way" of Stefano Domenicali once he gets acquainted to his new role.

Former Ferrari team principal and current Lamborghini CEO Domenicali will officially begin life as F1's new leading figure on January 1, 2021.

Carey, in situ since January 2017 following Liberty Media's takeover of the sport, will remain on hand for guidance and assistance as non-executive chairman.

The 66-year old, however, has no intention of impeding his successor as he settles into the post.

"Realistically, I want to be a help but I don’t want to be in the way and so we’ll figure that out and I think we’ll figure that out as we go," Carey told Sky Sports F1.

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“My role going forward, I’m not completely departing, will be to help, but at the end of the day, Stefano has to make his own decisions.

"We’ve certainly spent time talking about what are the challenges, what are the opportunities, what should be the priorities going forward.

“I think we have a shared vision of where we think Formula 1 can and should go.

“We’ve got some exciting things coming. Obviously, the new cars in 2022, and many of the new initiatives being put in place, like the cost cap and more balanced revenue-sharing next year.

“But I think he’ll make decisions that he thinks are the right ones and that’s the way it should be.”

When Carey joined the F1 paddock in 2016, he was part of a three-man leadership team, flanked by newcomer Sean Bratches as managing director of commercial operations and a familiar face in Ross Brawn as managing director motorsports.

Bratches stepped down from his position in January, leaving Brawn as the sole remaining original member of the trio.

Reflecting on his time at the helm, Carey said: “It’s been great. It’s been certainly unlike anything else I’ve ever been part of in my life.

"I had a great career in the media world and it’s been extraordinary. I think it’s an extraordinary sport with incredible athletes doing incredible things, a great history. It’s great to have been a part of it and I think it’s in a great place.

“Obviously, its been a challenging year to get through, but I think we’ve got a great future ahead of us and having Stefano come in is tremendously exciting.

"He is somebody who will hit the ground running, knows the sport, knows the players and really will continue to build on the things we’ve been putting in place.”

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