Formula 1

'We need to be involved in Formula E,' says Ferrari president

Published Mar. 31, 2017 11:42 a.m. ET

Samuel Reiman

“We need to be involved in Formula E,” says Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne.

Marchionne, the CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, told FIA publication Auto that he believes the Italian brand needs to get into the all-electric single-seater sport in the near future.

“We need to be involved in Formula E because electrification via hybridization is going to be part of our future,” said Marchionne. "Hybridization is crucial to Ferrari. There is no denying that regulations put us under pressure, but we could reach those targets in other ways.

“We have already developed a hybrid supercar, La Ferrari, and on future Ferrari models we will leverage new technologies as well as electrification.”

While Formula 1 currently features hybrid-powered cars, FIA Formula E is fully electric. With Renault, Audi, Jaguar and Citroen already involved, and with BMW and Mercedes looking set to soon join them, it looks like Ferrari does need to make its move soon if it doesn’t want to get behind the eight ball.

However, Marchionne has stated in the past that he first wants to see Formula E gives teams more freedom to develop their cars in the sport.

Subsequently, Ferrari isn’t expected to become a full-blown manufacturer in Formula E until 2022, but it may enter into a partnership with FIAT branding ahead of then.

Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag added that he felt “it was time Mr. Marchionne and I met.”

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