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Ferrari’s Formula 1 sporting director Laurent Mekies says the support received from recently resigned CEO Louis Camilleri during its 2020 “crisis” was incredible.
Camilleri unexpectedly resigned from his position as CEO of Ferrari and also chairman of the team’s main sponsor, major cigarette company Philip Morris International.
He assumed the Ferrari CEO role in July 2018 shortly before the death of his predecessor Sergio Marchionne, with John Elkann taking over the Ferrari chairmanship.
Camilleri’s decision was made for personal reasons with conflicting reports over whether a recent battle with COVID-19, that left him in hospital, was a driving force behind it.
Mekies said Camilleri’s resignation was “a surprise for all of us” and that “none of us were aware” it was coming.
“I’ve seen what our chairman communicated in terms of the reasoning, it’s understandable,” said Mekies.
“Louis has been very hit badly with COVID and even though it was not life-threatening, it’s been very tough and I’m sure it’s not the only reason but certainly it’s something that I guess at the stage where he is and [with his] achievements it is probably something that makes you think your priorities differently.
“It’s a shame because the level of support we got from Louis, from our chairman, through to Mattia, has been incredible in these two years.
“Especially this year, in crisis time and you always say it’s in crisis times that you find out how this thing goes.
“So the level of support we got was incredible, he was certainly one of the strong drivers of this.”
Ferrari is searching for a replacement CEO with Elkann assuming the position on an interim basis.
Camilleri’s successor will be a significant appointment given the close link the company holds with the F1 team, as Camilleri and Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto had forged a close relationship and enacted a long-term effort to change Ferrari’s working culture and end what Camilleri called a revolving-door policy.
He has continued to back Binotto and Ferrari’s existing F1 personnel despite its miserable, winless 2020 season which is due to end with it finishing sixth in the constructors’ championship.
“The good news for us is that, as you have seen, our chairman is stepping in for the interim role and therefore it could not be better to give us stability and the right continuity in terms of support,” said Mekies.
“We will try to finish the year on a good note and all regroup at the factory with Mattia and the management team.”
Ferrari is concluding the 2020 season in Abu Dhabi without Binotto at the track. The team principal returned home to Italy unwell earlier this week.
Mekies, who has assumed responsibility on-site like he did when Binotto missed races in Turkey and Bahrain through choice, said it had “nothing to do with COVID”.
“He wasn’t in great shape when we had to get there on Monday and Tuesday in Bahrain so the doctors asked him to go back to Italy to get the right rest,” said Mekies.
“He is better. We spoke probably 10 times [on Friday] so he’s very active but he’s recovering good now.
“I’m sure he will be with us all weekend remotely, as he has been when not being present at the track, and everything will be back to normal very shortly.”
