Scuderia Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has conceded that his side needs to get better and make important changes and steps forward if they are to challenge Red Bull and win Formula 1 championships again in the following seasons. At the same time, the Ferrari boss admitted that it would be “painful” to finish behind Mercedes, a situation that is still possible only due to the several mistakes made by the Ferrari pit wall and the power unit issues suffered by the Maranello team this year.
Mattia Binotto, who is facing the challenges of Formula 1’s most pressurised roles, has overseen the F1-75 project which allowed Ferrari to mage a big jump in performance from the previous season to the current F1 campaign on the track. However, the performance of the F1-75 was overshadowed by blunders that have eventually scuppered Ferrari’s championship hopes.
During the Monza race weekend, Ferrari chairman John Elkann was interviewed by the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport and confirmed he had “great faith” in Mattia Binotto, while at the same time admitting that he was not happy with how things went for the Maranello team, who dropped far behind behind Red Bull despite having a faster car in the first part of the championship.
Asked by Sky Sports to comment on the difficulties encountered by his team during the 2022 Formula 1 season, Mattia Binotto replied that he was “fully aware” of the task ahead.
“If we look at the current season, we know there are still steps which are required to be in the position to win a championship. Ferrari has done an enormous development from last season to this one. You need to look back many years to see such a big development. Overall the team did a fantastic job in developing the current car, but still there are situations [that need improving]. The reliability – because the reliability cost us at least a couple of victories and in order to win championships you need to reliable. Race management – strategy and pit stops areas of improvement are required. I think during the race weekend you may always do mistakes. I think being perfect is almost impossible, you need to take decision on the pit wall, but we need to be the best.” – the Ferrari boss explained.
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are now second and fifth in the drivers’ standings ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, a race at the end of which Max Verstappen could mathematically secure the Formula 1 championship.
One of the major problems pointed out by fans and media in 2022 is that Mattia Binotto refused to acknowledge the issues faced by the Maranello team this year and his unwillingness to even consider some changes despite many operational errors, as was the case in Monaco, Silverstone or Hungary which have made life easy for Red Bull and Max Verstappen on their way to winning the titles.
In his interview with Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle at the Monza circuit last weekend, Mattia Binotto continued:
“We do not need to change people, but we certainly need to change some things. The way we are communicating, the way we are getting to the process of making our decisions.. changes are required. Adding value may be necessary, adding people as well. But changing people is not a path I want to go through, that’s an old way of addressing issues.” – he explained.
Despite having the fastest car in most races of the first part of the season, the reliability issues and the strategy errors have not only led to losing the championship battle with Red Bull, but even left Ferrari in a vulnerable position for second place, as Mercedes are now much closer in the standings (35 points ahead) than Red Bull (139 points behind), a situation that seemed almost impossible earlier a few months ago given the on track pace.
Martin Brundle asked the Ferrari boss how finishing behind Mercedes would feel and Mattia Binotto admitted “it will be painful”.
“For the result, for the way we started the season, because I think it will prove that we have not been good enough in improving the car through the season,” he said. “And that there have been too many mistakes. But we are ahead and our intentions are to keep ahead.” – he said.
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Ferrari chairman John Elkann confirmed that “we have great faith in Mattia Binotto and appreciate everything he and all our engineers have done,” – he said during the interview with Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of the Italian Grand Prix – “But there is no doubt that the work in Maranello, in the garage, on the pit wall and at the wheel needs to improve. We must continue to make progress and that goes for the mechanics, the engineers, the drivers and obviously, the entire management team, including the team principal. Putting our trust in Binotto and his team was the right decision and it has paid off. Thanks to them we are competitive and winning again. But I am not satisfied because I think we can always do better. We have seen that there are still too many mistakes when it comes to reliability, driving and strategy. That’s why I believe that before 2026 Ferrari will once again win the constructors’ and drivers’ titles, with Charles Leclerc in pole position.” – he said.
When these comments were pointed out to Mattia Binotto, specifically about whether targeting a Formula 1 title before 2026 was in fact a pessimistic goal, the Ferrari boss explained he wants to end a trophy drought that has lasted 24 years much sooner than 2026:
“I think it’s more managing as far as the expectations. But more than that, I think what he said precisely it’s ‘before 2026’. so from now to 2026. No doubt that the ambition of the team is to do it as soon as possible.” – he concluded.
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