F1 sporting manager Ross Brawn is convinced the untimely passing last summer of former Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne has had a "major impact" on the Scuderia.
Brawn, who was the Italian outfit's technical director during its golden Schumacher years, believes Ferrari's momentum suffered a "totally understandable" disruption in the aftermath of Marchionne's sudden passing, which led to the team's recent downturn in performance.
An emblematic figure among the automotive industry, Marchionne was credited with reviving Fiat and Chrysler, but also instilling stability in recent years at the House of Maranello following several fundamental changes in its management and engineering departments.
"Compared to last year, even Ferrari’s reliability has improved. So where’s the problem?," said Brawn in his post-Japanese Grand Prix summary.
"There is no doubt the shock of the sudden death of its leader, Sergio Marchionne, who had been such a strong reference in the team, will have a major impact, and that is totally understandable.
"Having experienced many crises myself during my time with Ferrari, what I know is that this is the time to come together, stay united and look ahead, without resorting to recrimination and playing the blame game."
Brawn's view echoes the reports of the Italian media, with the Corriere della Sera calling Marchionne "the custodian of Ferrari's internal balance", while also hinting at an internal power struggle brewing between different factions.
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