F1: Montezemolo confident Mattiacci will rev up Ferrari

Former North America exec 'the right man', says president

(By Denis Greenan). (ANSA) - Maranello, April 16 - Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo said he was confident former Ferrari North America car sales chief Marco Mattiacci would rev up the struggling Formula One glamour team as replacement to Stefano Domenicali as team principal after another sluggish start to the season.

"He's the right man for the job," Montezemolo said, dismissing contentions that former Jaguar GB executive Mattiacci, 42, would be out of his depth in a sporting world he has never frequented. "I wish all the best to Marco Mattiacci, whom I know to be a highly regarded manager and who knows the company well," he said, praising the former sales manager for "accepting this challenge with enthusiasm".

Montezemolo said he had "no doubt" Mattiacci would be able to cope with the demands of arguably F1's most high-pressure job. "I decided to bank on a young manager I really believe in," Montezemolo said at the presentation of Ferrari's new turbocharged street dream car, the California T.

"I have heard and read a lot of reports that are off the mark, about Mattiacci not being a technical expert. "But we're all technical people here at Ferrari. "I wanted to stake our credibility on someone from inside the family, because that family has a wealth of qualities and abilities," Montezemolo stressed. "Now we have to roll up our sleeves, even though it's easy to forget how much you've won in the past when you're going through a lean spell. "Mattiacci will already start making a difference at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on Sunday," the Ferrari chief concluded, predicting: "He's going to be at the helm for a long time".

Despite dismissing concerns over Mattiacci's inexperience, Montezemolo said he would himself "get closer to the team during this transition and take a more hands-on role until Marco gets the hang of things".