Mattia Binotto never doubted full support and confidence of John Elkann

In a recent interviw, Scuderia Ferrari managing director and team principal Mattia Binotto reflects on the structure of the team, the decision-making process and confirms he always felt the full support and confidence of Elkann and Camilleri

Given that Ferrari chairman John Elkann, Agnelli scion and boss of Exor – which controls the family’s various holdings including its interests in Ferrari and Stellantis, last-named being the newly formed Fiat-Chrysler and Peugeot-Citroen conglomerate – has his hands (over) full, does Ferrari not suffer convoluted decision-making processes?
Mattia Binotto: “With Camilleri, we started the [current] journey; I think we invested a lot in our medium-to-long term future. The [signing of the] Concorde Agreement is one example, so I think a lot of work has been done to set the foundations. John was already part of the time involved as chairman. I think today, it’s not a matter of rebuilding, it’s continuity from the past as Scuderia Ferrari and Gestione Sportiva (the sporting division), and obviously myself as managing director. I have got the full autonomy and daily delegations of power. If I need their support I have got their support as I had it as in the past. I don’t think much has changed”

Will this structure and autonomy, though, remain in place after Elkann appoints Camilleri’s replacement?
Mattia Binotto: “John Elkann is fully aware, fully involved and coming to some races; it’s a very positive and constructive collaboration that we’ve got. He is chairman and CEO, so no I report to him whatever we are doing and the main [decisions]. I’m convinced that because Ferrari is a unique family there will always be good, positive collaboration.”

How did you soak up the pressure and keep the team heading in the right direction?
Mattia Binotto: “It was a very difficult season. A lot of pressure on my shoulders. I certainly felt the responsibility. But I know that in such a difficult time the team was united. It would have been very easy internally for the team to blame each cause, but it never happened. The team remain united, with the right winning spirit to move forward and demonstrate that we can do better. As a leader the most important thing is that the team is united, which means that you’ve got the right [next tier] leadership. For me it was important at the time to ensure that the pressures that I had were not reflected into the team. My focus was on that and not listening to rumours and putting blame on myself and on the team, keeping focusing on trying to improve.”

Did you ever doubt that he had the full support and confidence of Elkann and Camilleri?
“Never doubt about either. Because I know that I had that since the very start. As I said, I’m fully empowered and my responsibility, and, as I said, last year we invested a lot in our medium-to- long-term future and I think we made the right choices. Now it’s time to continue building, a matter of managing the expectations. There are no silver bullets in F1. If we look at ourselves at the start of the nineties to 2000 with Michael [Schumacher] and Jean Todt, it took time to build the team. It took time at Red Bull or Mercedes; even more, if you look to Red Bull, it’s a long time that they are not winning [championships]. But they are the passions without let me say no revolutions inside of the team. They are passionate, working hard and working well, but to build it takes time. I know I have the full trust, and I feel the responsibility and it’s my job to commit to the world.”