Ferrari could walk out of F1, warns Marchionne

Ferrari could lead other Formula One teams into an alternative championship if the sport becomes too much like the U.S.-based NASCAR series but hope it does not come to that, chairman Sergio Marchionne has said.

Speaking to reporters at the Italian team's pre-Christmas lunch in Maranello on Monday (December 18), the Fiat Chrysler chief executive said his previous threats to take Ferrari out of the sport after 2020 should not be taken lightly.

There have been similar threats in the past from Ferrari, before Marchionne's time, without any of them coming to anything.

He also announced a Feb. 22 launch date for the team's 2018 car and said Ferrari should be challenging for the title after finishing runners-up to Mercedes this year.