Fernando Alonso was not right for Ferrari because he was "demotivating" the team, former president Luca di Montezemolo has claimed.
Di Montezemolo was in charge of the Maranello marque when in late 2014 the wheels of Alonso's departure were already in motion.
"I had the feeling that Fernando had got it into his mind that he could never win with Ferrari, and that if he was in a Mercedes he could win with one hand," he told Motor Sport Magazine.
"This was very demotivating for everyone."
However, Italian Montezemolo insists that Alonso's exit has nothing to do with his talent.
"Let me be clear, I believe Alonso is probably the best driver in the world even today - certainly on a Sunday.
"Maybe not in qualifying, where I think [Lewis] Hamilton and [Sebastian] Vettel are maybe faster over one lap, but in the race he is unbelievable - a machine.
"But we needed motivation and it made me think what we needed for the future."
Alonso returned to MacLaren, for whom he raced in 2007, after his Ferrari exit.
