Ferrari President Sergio Marchionne’s lack of F1 knowledge may be hurting the team according to ex Benetton / Renault boss Flavio Briatore, and the Scuderia must make strategic changes in order to achieve their objectives.

“Marchionne is enthusiastic, he has shown us that,” he added. “He thinks that everyone, when they see his commitment, should work better, motivated by the fact the president has spoken. However he is not an expert in Formula 1 – even I made grand claims at the start [of my reign at Benetton] – but then once I said we are solely aiming to win races, we won the championship.”

Clearly Flav understands the traditional method at Ferrari of culling as many team personnel as possible until success occurs, isn’t going to work in modern F1. The team have been somewhat disappointing this season after promising so much last year. Vettel currently sits third in the standings, but both the German and teammate Kimi Raikkonen have been unable to claim a victory so far. The team is 81 points behind leaders Mercedes in the manufacturers championship with a resurgent Red Bull not too far off the horizon.

Rather helpfully Briatore has a suggestion.

“Championships are not won with proclamations, but by working like Mercedes,” Briatore told Radio Rai. “Ferrari even have to focus on saving second spot at this time.

“Thankfully [Lewis] Hamilton failed to push the right buttons, otherwise he would have finished second [in the European Grand Prix in Azerbaijan].

“It is difficult to win in Formula 1. Ferrari must not change directors, they have already gone through several of them. They have to internationalise, [and] they simply must open a technological base in England.

“If you produce champagne it’s better to be in France. If you make prosciutto it’s better to be based in Parma. However, if you are in Formula 1 you have to be in England.”

Classic Flav, but actually he’s very likely correct.