From PlanetF1:



Ferrari's Chris Dyer has paid a heavy price for the pit wall mistake that cost Fernando Alonso the 2010 World Championship after the Italian team decided to replace him as head of race track engineering.

Alonso, who started the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi top of the Drivers' standings, finished a lowly seventh after the team opted to pit him early to prevent Mark Webber from winning the title. However, both Alonso and Webber finished empty handed when Sebastian Vettel won the race and the title.

Many believe Dyer was responsible for the error and Ferrari have reacted by replacing him with former McLaren engineer Pat Fry while the team are yet to confirm whereto from here for Dyer.

"Pat Fry will, in addition to his current role, take on the job of head of race track engineering," a Ferrari statement said. "Up until yesterday, this position was held by Chris Dyer and his role within the company will be redefined in the next few days."

Another change at the Italian squad sees former Red Bull Racing and McLaren employee Neil Martin take charge of the new Operations Research department. Martin will work under technical director Aldo Costa.

 

On that note....

Domenicali: I considered quitting



Stefano Domenicali has revealed he considered stepping down as Ferrari team boss after a tactical mistake cost Fernando Alonso the 2010 World Championship.

Alonso was favourite to land the Drivers' crown last year after starting the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi eight points ahead of Mark Webber with Sebastian Vettel a further seven points adrift.

However, an error from the pit wall saw his Championship hopes go up in smoke. They opted to pit him early to cover Webber's stop, but he dropped to the middle of the pack and that opened the door for Vettel to win the title.

Ferrari's hierarchy initially said there would be changes at the top following the costly mistake, but later decided to keep the status quo.

Domenicali admitted in an interview with La Repubblica that he couldn't sleep for two days after the Abu Dhabi GP and was thinking about quitting.

"After Abu Dhabi I personally raised the issue," said Domenicali. "I wondered if it was right or not that I stayed.

"I think pondering that [whether it was right or wrong to stay] was something I had to do, the responsible thing. I am not attached to the chair. But I came to the conclusion that resigning would be a mistake.

"I know the team and I think I'm the right person to capitalise on all that we have sown in recent months. From the methodological point of view, in Maranello we have changed almost everything and I am sure we will soon see the results of hard work."

With so much at stake in the season finale, Domenicali admits the error had "devastating effects".

"The mistake was, in terms of magnitude, huge - and it produced devastating effects. But in a normal race it would have been a normal error.

"So you must not jettison everything, even the good things, because of that mistake. We will change things and officially announce things in the coming hours - and we will make sure that those who make delicate decisions are able to have all the tools they need not to be wrong again."