Marchionne softened stance on F1 exit for Ferrari before death

Before his sudden and tragic death over the summer, Sergio Marchionne softened his stance on Ferrari campaigning to leave Formula One due to being unhappy with the direction the sport was taking under Liberty Media, according to FIA president Jean Todt.

Since Liberty Media took ownership of the sport, Marchionne had been an outspoken critic of their stewardship, with particular negativity being directed towards their plans for the standardisation of engine parts and a more even distribution of finances among the constructor teams.

The former Ferrari chairman, who passed away following serious complications from shoulder surgery, even threatened to take his team out of F1 altogether.

However, Todt has revealed that Marchionne had become more positive about the situation in the days before his passing.

"On June 28 we had a dinner in my office in Geneva," Todt admitted,

"It was him, [Liberty CEO] Chase Carey and myself, to speak about the future of F1. And on the 29th, he sent me as SMS to say it was a great meeting, and 'we will move positively for the sport'."

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“Normally this dinner was due to be on the Sunday night after the Austrian GP. But he sent me a message to say unfortunately he could not make it, could we change and do it before? So we did it on the 28th.

"I am sure about those dates. But I am not sure about when he went to hospital."

Todt went on to reflect on Marchionne himself, saying his death was a loss to the sport of F1.

“It is a big loss,” Todt insisted.

“Not only about all that he did for the industry, but the passion he had and with his style which he had. For me, he was somebody with a great personality.

"I used to work with him before I was appointed as president of the FIA. We did not always agree, but in the end I quite liked him and I had a lot of respect for him."