Mattia Binotto: "Charles and I laughed and joked about what we read in the newspapers"

Mattia Binotto: “Charles and I laughed and joked about what we read in the newspapers”. Mattia Binotto looks back on his meeting with Charles.

Given the greatness of the Ferrari brand, any issue concerning the universe of the Prancing Horse in the racing world is clearly amplified by journalists and fans. And what happened in the recent British Grand Prix last weekend could not fail to be a source of great discussions, given the strategic decision taken under the Safety Car with 13 laps to go which transformed what was a momentary one-two finish for the Maranello team into a first and fourth place.

And in particular the focus on Charles Leclerc’s race, as the Monegasque driver was left on the track and not called to the pits. The strategy decision made by Ferrari was put under the magnifying glass after the race, as Charles lost important points in the standings compared to those he could have won against Max Verstappen, given the fact that seven days ago the Red Bull driver was in trouble and was unable to do better than seventh at the end of the British Grand Prix.

In the press conference reserved for team principals ahead of the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix, Mattia Binotto answered a specific question in this regard, thus explaining the actions of the Maranello pit wall: “Our strategy is to maximize the team’s points, because there is also the constructors’ championship we have to think about. We believe that by doing so, there will also be greater opportunities for the drivers themselves”, for whom a hierarchy has not been established, as the Italian engineer highlighted:

“At this moment, Charles and Carlos are free to fight” – Mattia Binotto confirmed earlier today. When asked about the meeting he had in Monte Carlo with Charles Leclerc last week, he said: “He was in Monaco ahead of the back-to-back races. The easiest way to meet him was to go directly to him. Together we laughed and joked about what we read in the newspapers, because it was not true.” – Mattia Binotto assured, denying any controversy or tension within the team.