I don’t think anyone is too surprised by this development as Marchionne’s Fiat will reap more rewards for the risk the company took back in 2009.

From Auto News.com:

Fiat SpA, the Italian carmaker that owns 20 percent of Chrysler Group LLC, may boost the holding to more than 50 percent before an initial public offering by the U.S. automaker, the companies’ chief executive officer said.

“I think it is possible. I don’t know whether it is likely, but it is possible that we’ll go over the 50 percent mark if Chrysler decides to go to the markets in 2011,” Sergio Marchionne, 58, told reporters at the Milan stock exchange today. “It will be advantageous if that happens.”

Fiat received the stake as part of Chrysler’s 2009 bankruptcy reorganization under government supervision. It expects to receive an additional 15 percent this year when Chrysler makes a small engine in the U.S. and meets sales objectives outside of North America. Fiat has an option to increase the holding to 51 percent, by buying an additional 16 percent, after Chrysler repays U.S. and Canadian government loans.

Read the full article.