Mattia Binotto “firmly believes” the day will come when Ferrari fight Mercedes for the titles having watched on as the Brackley team wrapped up the Constructors’ on Sunday.
Lewis Hamilton led home a Mercedes 1-2 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to secure the team’s seventh successive Constructors’ crown.
It was the first time in F1 history that a team has managed seven in a row.
Before Mercedes’ run, it was Ferrari who held the record with six consecutive teams’ titles from 1999 to 2004.
“I wish to congratulate Mercedes for winning the Constructors’ Championship,” said Binotto.
“We know we have a very long way to go to be fighting once again for those same goals, something we have achieved so often in our history, but we firmly believe we can do it.”
Ferrari were on course for a double points haul at Imola only for a botched pit stop to rob Sebastian Vettel of a top ten opportunity.
While Charles Leclerc finished in fifth place, Vettel could only recover to 12th as he sat for 13 seconds in the pits as Ferrari struggled with not one but two of his wheels.
Binotto, though, is happy to see that Ferrari are showing signs of progress when it comes to pace, even if it is small.
“It’s clear to see that we are consolidating the progress we have made in recent races, especially in terms of race pace at a variety of tracks with very different characteristics,” he said.
“That’s important for the rest of this season and for the next one.
“Charles did a very good job again, both in managing the tyres and in defending the position in the final stage. Seb also had a strong race.
“We are very sorry for the problem at the pit stop that robbed Seb of a top ten finish, thus losing the chance to pick up valuable points.”
Ferrari remain sixth in the Constructors’ Championship with 103 points, 31 adrift of fifth placed Racing Point and 14 ahead of AlphaTauri.
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