Photo: Ferrari
Massimo Rivola ceases to be the sport director of Ferrari and passes to lead the Driver Academy, quarry for young drivers linked to the team Italian. Occupies the position in which it leaves free Luca Baldiserri, who will follow Lance Stroll, tester of the team Williams. Their absence in the Grand Prix of Spain last year (for “personal reasons”, justified by Ferrari), caused certain rumors about his dismissal. However, he rejoined the team in Monaco and completed the season. Now it goes to engage of young talent, and although the Cavallino still have not made official their change or their substitute, he himself has communicated to the fans:
After 18 years of Formula 1, of which 12 were in the wall, the time has come to make a stop. Stimulated by a great professional challenge, according to the company, I decided to take care of the renewal of the Ferrari Driver Academy. The goodbye of a pilot symbol and as Jules was definitely the spark that made you see this position as a true mission. In addition, thanks to my previous experience, I had the good fortune of working with many pilots and especially when they were very young, like Sebastian or Fernando, to name a few. To think that the champion of tomorrow can grow up in our academy is just amazing. I will not leave quite aside the passion of the Club of tifosi, and I will not engage ever more to support the young people who will form part of what I want to get to get, the school in order to become true pilots. For this reason, the determination, enthusiasm and professionalism of Mauro Apicella, in his tenth year at Ferrari, will be even more important for me.
The Italian of 44 years came to Formula 1 in 1998, of the hand of Minardi, who had the headquarters in Faenza, a city of Rivola. Worked in the marketing department before becoming sporting director and team manager in 2005. The team became Toro Rosso, and from 2006 to 2008, he was his team manager. In 2009 he became sporting director of Ferrari, where he spent seven seasons. There coincided with Fernando Alonso, who already knew from his time at Minardi, and with whom he has always maintained a close relationship. In 2015 coincided with Sebastian Vettel, with whom he shared a team in Toro Rosso. The own Vettel asked to Arrivabene, to get to Maranello, Rivola, who had lost power in the era of Mattiacci, did not leave.
Since a couple of years, Ferrari lived in constant renewal. In April 2014 resigned Domenicali; in July he was fired Luca Marmorini, head of engines and electronics, and in September he resigned the president, Luca di Montezemolo. In November of that year saw Fernando Alonso and Pedro de la Rosa. Maurizio Arrivabene has replaced Mattiacci to the front of the Cavallino, and the revolution was accelerated. With the major restructuring of December would fall by Pat Fry and Nikolas Tombazis, responsible for the technical design and aerodynamic and also Hirohide Hamashima, head of tyre, and Andrea Stella, ex-engineer of track of Alonso. In the restructuring of December of 2014, the office of Rivola was amended, and went on to devote himself only to the section of Formula 1 of the Scuderia.
–