(Scuderia Ferrari SpA via Twitter)
Following weeks of speculation it has been confirmed that Ferrari chairman Luca Di Montezemelo has stepped down from his roles as chairman of the Prancing horse and it's Formula One operation. The Italian attended the Italian Grand Prix last weekend where he said that he would decide when he would leave the company and that time appears to have come.
In a statement released on Ferrari's website the 67 year old commented:
'Ferrari will have an important role to play within the FCA Group in the upcoming flotation on Wall Street. This will open up a new and different phase which I feel should be spearheaded by the CEO of the Group. This is the end of an era and so I have decided to leave my position as Chairman after almost 23 marvellous and unforgettable years in addition to those spent at Enzo Ferrari’s side in the 1970s.
The Italian went on to say:
'My thanks, first and foremost, to the exceptional Ferrari women and men from the factory, the offices, the race tracks and the markets across the world. They were the real architects of the company’s spectacular growth, its many unforgettable victories and its transformation into one of the world’s strongest brands. But my thoughts go also to our fans who have always supported us with great enthusiasm especially through the Scuderia’s most difficult moments.
The Italian team have endured an extremely difficult 2014 Formula One campaign which has seen the outfit claim just two podium finishes from 13 Grand Prix this season. They are currently in fourth place in the Constructors championship having been overtaken by the Williams Martini Racing Team following a third and fourth place finish at the Monza circuit last weekend.
Ferrari are 15 points behind the Grove based outfit with six Grand Prix remaining six Grand Prix of the season. FIAT chairman Sergio Marchionne will assume the role of Ferrari chairman.
Di Montezemelo's exit is another in a list of departures from the company with team boss Stefano Domenicali resigning prior to the Chinese Grand Prix while engine boss Luca Marmorini left the company at the end of July.
© Ben Johnston 2014
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