Mattia Binotto confirms "second place is a possible target for Ferrari in 2021"

The Scuderia Ferrari team principal in the chat with the Italian media stressed that Ferrari will attempt to return in contention for the title in 2022, but this does not mean that it will try to fight to its full potential even earlier. And with regard to next year, Mattia Binotto is counting on a relaunch with the new engine and aerodynamic changes to contend with Red Bull for second place in the Constructors’ Championship.

There is a present and a future that is not far away, but not around the corner either. Regarding the situation of Ferrari, the current standings highlight the limits of the SF1000 project, with a recovery announced (confirmed by President John Elkann) starting in 2022.

In between, however, there is another season and we rarely talk about 2021, as if it were a copy of the current season due to the constraints imposed by the regulations. However, not everything will be frozen, and the teams know this very well, starting with Ferrari, which has a very specific goal: second place, or the best of those who are not called Mercedes.

“Compared to a few months ago, there are limitations that cannot be denied – explained the team principal of the Cavallino – the power unit can be renewed for next year, and this is a good starting point”.

Engineers are already at work in view of a 2021 which from their point of view is far from obvious, even if there are some constraints to respect …
“The regulation imposes limitations on the number of hours in which you can work – confirmed Binotto – we know that a new power unit will arrive, but we will have fewer development opportunities than we would have had in a situation of total freedom “.

“The chassis is largely frozen, we will only be able to make two changes that we have already decided. The aerodynamics are free, but also on this front limitations have been introduced that have reduced the number of hours in which you can use the wind tunnel “.

One of the obstacles that the Scuderia technicians have to face is to start from a project that was not born in the best way …
“There are limitations that have an impact on a project that today has a performance disadvantage compared to the best – Binotto explained – I think we can improve on our part, but aspiring to be able to beat Mercedes I think it is somehow wrong, because today the gap is huge considering that we are in Formula 1. But second place must be considered absolutely a possible goal”.

A respectable goal, however, considering that today Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel have to hope for the mistakes of others or exceptional circumstances to aim for the podium.