Ferrari’s Formula One boss Stefano Domenicali quit on Monday over the legendary Italian team’s disastrous start to the 2014 season.

“It is time for a significant change,” Domenicali said in a Ferrari statement announcing his resignation.

Ferrari have failed to get in the top three in the first three races of the season and are just fifth in the constructors’ table.

Ferrari’s North American CEO Marco Mattiacci will assume control of the team, his task simple – to reverse the scuderia’s fortunes in a year when Mercedes are leaving all in their wake.

Domenicali took over from Jean Todt as Ferrari’s team principal in 2008. But he has faced growing pressure over the poor performances of drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.

“There are special moments that come along in everyone’s professional life when one needs courage to take difficult and very agonising decisions,” Domenicali said in the statement.

“It is time for a significant change. As the boss I take responsibility, as I always have done, for our current situation,” he added.

“This decision has been taken with the aim of doing something to shake things up,” he said.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo thanked Domenicali “for his sense of responsibility up to today where he placed Ferrari’s interests before his own”.

Domenicali’s near seven-year reign featured a constructors’ title in his first year in charge but crucially no drivers’ titles, with Felipe Massa going closest in 2008.

Alonso had to settle for second best to Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel in 2010 and 2012.

New technical rules introduced for Formula One cars this season has left Ferrari uncharacteristically playing catch-up to the likes of Mercedes who have won all three races in 2014.