DECEMBER 5, 2016

Red Bull left us behind says Marchionne

Sergio Marchionne says Ferrari's biggest problem in 2016 was falling behind the development curve.

Sergio Marchionne says Ferrari's biggest problem in 2016 was falling behind the development curve.

Some think the great Italian marque's year was disastrous, but Ferrari president Marchionne said the team actually began 2016 well.

"We were much more competitive than where we left in 2015," he told Italian media at the team's end of year event in Daytona.

"It's not that we got worse, the others improved, but this is due to many reasons that we understand quite well.

"Our technical director James Allison had personal problems and left, and I think you have to give time to the guys who have been together only months.

"I have every confidence in Mattia Binotto but our problem was aerodynamics which we have had historically at Ferrari in recent years. Especially Red Bull this year did a fabulous job and left us behind," Marchionne admitted.

(GMM)