Mattiacci: Happy To Brought Vettel To Ferrari

Vettel is Mattiaci's 'Parting Gift' to Ferrari.

Marco Mattiacci

Marco Mattiacci has broken his silence to suggest Sebastian Vettel was his “parting gift” to Ferrari. After just seven months in the job, the Italian has been replaced as Ferrari team boss by the Marlboro executive Maurizio Arrivabene.

“My best wishes to him are sincere,” said Mattiacci, as he spoke for the first time since his ousting to the well-known Ferrari insider Leo Turrini.

“He (Arrivabene) is a very competent person and I am sure the fans – and I include myself – will get the results they expect.”

But Mattiacci denied that his short F1 adventure had been an unpleasant one.

Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari

Whereas Vettel says he is not expecting to race a winning Ferrari in 2015 because he struggled this year. He was also beaten by new teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

“After the disappointing results of the first half of the season it became a possibility that I could leave Red Bull,” said Vettel.

“So this led to more detailed discussions with Ferrari. The interest was there. I think the timing was just right with everything,” he added.

He will be replaced by Fernando Alonso, F1’s most highly rated driver who has now decided to return to McLaren.

“I am very aware that we at Ferrari have a big job coming up that will take time — especially when Mercedes has such a huge competitive advantage.”

“I have seen pictures of Vettel in the Ferrari box for testing in Abu Dhabi and I can say I am happy to have brought him to Maranello where he already brings a new energy, a fresh enthusiasm,” said Mattiacci.

Asked if Vettel wearing red is Mattiacci’s parting gift to Ferrari, he said: “If you write that, I will not be sorry.” (GMM)

Alonso: I'm not difficult to work with

Alonso says the fact that his former teams are always willing to keep "one door open" for him.

Fernando Alonso has confirmed he will leave Ferrari and he has reportedly already signed a deal to return to McLaren next year. On Tuesday, the Spaniard appeared to be openly laughing at the Maranello team's latest managerial shakeup, after Ferrari split with team boss Marco Mattiacci. Sebastian Vettel was in Ferrari next year, and as a result Fernando Alonso was out.

Asked if he could return to Ferrari one day, he replied: "I don't know. More or less I know the questions you will do normally but I did expect this one so I'm not prepared to answer! At the moment it's not an option because if you say bye-bye it's not because five minutes later you think you might come back."

He added on ESPNF1: "I went from Renault to McLaren, and then I came back to Renault. I went to Ferrari, maybe I'll come back. It seems that people that work with me give me one door open, which is different to things I read about being difficult to work with.

"At the end of the day the places I work I can usually come back to so that's a good sign."

On the other hand Vettel reacted by telling Ferrari he was disappointed to have not been informed about the major shakeup.

Former F1 driver David Coulthard admits he has some concerns about Ferrari's 2015 driver line-up, despite Vettel and Raikkonen's combined five career titles.

"Kimi Raikkonen's return to Ferrari was the worst season for one of their drivers since 1982," he told the Telegraph, adding that Vettel also "looked a shadow of himself" in 2014.

"The German did not like the new formula, he did not like the engines," Coulthard explained. "That is fair enough, but his mantra seemed to affect his ability to perform."