Team bosses back “good guy” Domenicali for F1 CEO role
Team bosses have backed Stefano Domenicali as the right man to take over from Chase Carey as the new CEO of the Formula 1 organisation.
The former Ferrari team principal has yet to be officially confirmed in the role, but F1 sources have acknowledged that the plan is for him to start in the job next year, while Carey will remain involved in a different position.
The 55-year-old Domenicali has held various roles since he left Ferrari in 2014, and is currently the CEO of VW Group subsidiary Lamborghini.
“The news about Stefano seems to be a fairly open secret,” said Red Bull’s Christian Horner. “If he takes that role I think it’s great for the sport. He’s one of the good guys, having competed against him when he was the team principal of Ferrari.
“He had a lot of integrity, he was a racer, a competitor, he understands the business. Obviously he spent life in the commercial world outside F1 the last few years. He’s done a great job at Lamborghini, and I think he will be a great asset to F1.”
Horner has no concerns about another former Ferrari man taking on a senior position in the running of the sport.
“You look at the make-up of the top end of the sport, with Jean Todt, Ross Brawn and Stefano and it looks like a mid-nineties or early 2000s [Ferrari] set-up, but I don’t think that there’s any particular bias or love towards Ferrari from any of those individuals. I’m sure Stefano if he takes the role will be scrupulous in his impartiality.
“I think he would be a good candidate. He’s a great guy, we raced head-to-head against him for the 2010 and ‘12 championships, and he always had an awful lot of integrity. He was a gentleman, and he’ll be an asset for the sport, an asset for Liberty. He’s got that understanding, and I think that as the sport evolves he’ll bring a lot to it.”
Read Also:
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl got to know Domenicali well in his Porsche days, when the Italian was involved in assessing the VW Group’s future motor sport programmes.
“In case Chase would decide to step away at some point or decide that he’s simply had enough of all of us then I think Stefano would definitely be a great choice, and someone we would support a lot to take over this position," said Seidl when asked by Motorsport.com.
“I personally have worked together with Stefano during my time at Porsche as well, when we were working on a special project. Stefano helped me quite a lot with his experience in order to work on that project.
“I rate him very highly, not just because of his experience in all these different jobs he did so far, but I also rate him very high as a person, as a character, and as a passionate motorsport guy.
"And I think with all this experience he is having, running a track at Mugello, doing different jobs at Ferrari including the team principal position, being the CEO of Lamborghini, I think he would be a great choice.”
Renault team boss Cyril Abiteboul said that Domenicali’s current role with a sportscar manufacturer gave him useful knowledge, especially at a time when names like Aston Martin and Alpine are entering F1.
“If it were to happen Stefano has plenty to offer in such a position,” Abiteboul said when asked by Motorsport.com.
“I’m stating the obvious, but he’s got a very good knowledge of the sport itself, he’s got a very good knowledge of how the sport can support a manufacturer, Lamborghini not being in F1 – but he also knows probably why they are not in F1, so I guess he’s got a different and interesting perspective to offer in relation to that.
“What we need I guess is very strong management as always. Without being too pessimistic about the direction things are taking, there are a number of topics on the agenda of anyone coming into this position, whether it’s Chase continuing in this position or someone new, because there are lots of topics.
“We need someone very strong, someone committed, who knows the sport, also with a strong group of people around him. And I hope also Chase stays around, because I think he has plenty to offer.”
Related video

Previous article
Live: Follow Russian GP practice as it happens
Next article
Domenicali announced as new Formula 1 boss

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Author | Adam Cooper |
Team bosses back “good guy” Domenicali for F1 CEO role
Trending
How Do Drivers Stay Fit For F1 Grand Prix?
Ronnie Peterson and Jochen Rindt Tribute
#ThinkingForward with Juan Pablo Montoya
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says Nigel Roebuck.
Verstappen exclusive: Why lack of titles won't hurt Red Bull's ace
Max Verstappen’s star quality in Formula 1 is clear. Now equipped with a Red Bull car that is, right now, the world title favourite and the experience to support his talent, could 2021 be the Dutchman’s year to topple the dominant force of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Is Formula 1 as good as it has ever been now?
For many, many years Formula 1 has strived to do and to be better on all fronts. With close competition, a growing fanbase, a stable political landscape and rules in place to encourage sustainability, 2021 is on course to provide an unexpected peak
How Williams’ new structure adheres to a growing F1 trend
Williams held out against the tide for many years but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, the age of the owner-manager is long gone
When a journeyman driver's F1 career lasted just 800m
Nikita Mazepin’s Formula 1 debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix lasted mere corners before he wiped himself out in a shunt, but his financial backing affords him a full season. Back in 1993 though, Marco Apicella was an F1 driver for just 800m before a first corner fracas ended his career. Here’s the story of his very short time at motorsport’s pinnacle.
How Raikkonen's rapid rise stalled his teammate's F1 career climb
Kimi Raikkonen's emergence as a Formula 1 star in his rookie campaign remains one of the legendary storylines from 2001, but his exploits had an unwanted impact on his Sauber teammate's own prospects. Twenty years on from his first F1 podium at the Brazilian GP, here's how Nick Heidfeld's career was chilled by the Iceman.
The nightmare timing that now hinders Mercedes
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton took victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix despite, for a change, not having the quickest car. But any hopes of developing its W12 to surpass Red Bull's RB16B in terms of outright speed could not have come at a worse time.
How Verstappen's Bahrain mistake can only make him stronger
Max Verstappen lost out to Lewis Hamilton at the Bahrain Grand Prix by a tiny margin, slipping off the track just as victory was within his grasp. But the painful lesson from defeat can only help Verstappen come back even stronger