Mattia Binotto explains Ferrari’s performance this season relative to Mercedes. Binotto has instilled a process of cooperation between the team's members.

Ferrari technical director Mattia Binotto says the stability of the team’s foundation has played a major part in the Scuderia’s performance this season relative to its arch-rival Mercedes.

Ferrari had clearly overhauled Mercedes on the performance front this season, something the German outfit readily agrees. While many underlying ingredients have made contributed to the Scuderia’s upswing relative to its front-running rival, Binotto insists part of Ferrari’s success is rooted in the stability that was built into its organization in the past few seasons: “Initially, I think it’s fair to say that our team, in terms of individuals, is very strong,” said Binotto – “We’ve got very high skills, it’s a fantastic team in that respect in every area, from the power unit to the chassis and to the aero. I think what we’re benefiting from a certain stability in terms of the organisation, which in F1 is very important, because through the stability somehow you establish a way of working, improve your procedures, your internal process.”

A long-standing member of Ferrari since 1995, who headed the team’s engine department for many years, the Swiss engineer has instilled a process of cooperation between the team’s members since taking on the role of chief technical officer in 2016. For Mattia Binotto, it’s all about a group’s concerted effort rather than about individual achievement;

“I think, relative to myself, I’m certainly not an expert in all the areas,” he added – “Twenty-five years of experience in F1, a great time with Ferrari at the race track during the time of Michael Schumacher, but always as a power unit man. When I took on my current role, I think what was important for me was to set the objectives, then to make sure that the people were comfortable in their role, understood the internal process and worked better not only as individuals but as a team. And where we’ve focused all the effort is to make sure that the team is working properly as a team, and forgetting about the individuals.”

With regard to the impressive performance of the House of Maranello’s 2018 war horse, Binotto won’t pinpoint a specific strength of the SF71-H, insisting instead on the importance of delivering the right package: “Again, I think we are thinking about the car as a full package, and not trying to split it up in terms of different components or units, because we are a team and what is working is not a power unit or a wing but an entire car” – So, again, all the effort was directed towards building a team and setting the right objectives, dealing with them and trying to be ambitious,” he added – “I think that’s somehow what happened in the last two years.”