Sebastian Vettel believes that Ferrari is heading in the right direction and insists he is not worried about the team's future, despite the departure of technical director James Allison.
Ferrari announced on Wednesday that Allison had left his role with immediate effect after a three-year spell at the Italian outfit. The news came in the wake of the death of Allison's wife earlier this year and amid mounting pressure on the Marenello-based team, which has been unable to build on the three victories it recorded in 2015 so far this season.
While the loss of Allison is undoubtedly a blow to Ferrari, Vettel says he has no doubts over the credentials of newly-appointed technical chief Mattia Binotto.
"I think we've stated in the press release what happened," said Vettel. "I think Mattia has been in the team for a very long time so he's very experienced and knows the team inside out. Obviously it will be a difference but short-term doesn't change that much."
Vettel was quick to dismiss question marks over a lack of experience at the team and says he has full-faith in team principal Maurizio Arrivabene.
"I think we have the right people on board. There's been a lot in the press, especially about our president and what he expects from us and so on. First of all it's good to see that he's involved. He's obviously pushing the team very hard.
"Also in Maranello he spends a lot of time there, I think he knows what he's talking about and generally has been trying to understand what's going on in the last year in particular. I think things are heading in the right direction generally.
"In Maurizio's case as well I think he's been in Formula One and involved for a long time so I think he knows the business very well. I think he's doing a very, very good job. That's how we all feel inside the team, he's our leader, he's the team principal and we're happy he's with us."
The quadruple world champion said he feels it is important that Ferrari does not dismiss its 2016 car entirely, even if it has shifted the majority of its development focus onto 2017.
"Well we are already obviously working flat out on the 2017 car, I think everybody is. The rules are very different but still there's stuff I think we can learn from this year and that's why I think it would be wrong to forget about this year's car."