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Ferrari shutting down operations in Italy

Ferrari has confirmed that it is shutting down all operations in Italy with immediate effect until at least March 29 because of the worldwide spread of coronavirus.

As well as the F1 operation in Maranello, the shut-down also includes facilities at Modena and the production of its range of top-of-the-line road cars.

The company said that up to now it had been working to continue production, but that it was proving impossible to maintain its supply line chains to enable operations to keep going.

Premium brakes maker Brembo said on Friday it was also temporarily closing its four Italian plants next week. Tyre manufacturer Pirelli has also announced a cut in production at its Settimo Torinese plant near Turin, after a worker there tested positive for the coronavirus.

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Fiat Chrysler and industrial vehicle maker CNH Industrial had already announced a temporary halt to operations and slowed the rate of production at their Italian plants in compliance with with the Italian national government’s anti-coronavirus measures.

However all non-manufacturing activity will continue at Ferrari, with staff expected to be "leveraging the opportunities provided by smart working" for the duration.

“At a time like this my gratitude goes first and foremost to Ferrari’s women and men," commented Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri. "Their tremendous commitment over the past few days has demonstrated the passion and dedication that defines our marque.

“Together with our suppliers they have ensured the company’s production," he continued. "It is out of our respect for them, for their peace of mind and those of their families, that we have decided on this course of action.

“Our clients and fans are also top of mind for us at this time, as we prepare for a strong restart.”

Ferrari said that the shut-down followed "a number of rigorous preventative measures already implemented by the company to guarantee the highest health standards."

A source told Reuters said the company will adopt further measures including sanitisation of key areas around the facilities. The source added that there had been no positive coronavirus cases among Ferrari’s workers so far.

Ferrari workers will continue to receive their full salary during the temporary shutdown, and will not have to use their regular holiday allowance to cover their time away from the office.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.