Mattia Binotto picks out Ferrari's most important moments from the 2019 F1 season

Mattia Binotto picks out Ferrari’s most important moments from the 2019 F1 season. Mattia Binotto on Ferrari's 2019 season.

Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto picks out the Italian side’s most important moments from the 2019 Formula 1 season:
“After the disappointment in Australia I’d pick the Bahrain GP, with a victory that was in the bag but that then went up in smoke because of problems of reliability. And Canada, with Sebastian who won but then got penalised. They are examples of how the first part of the season was really uphill. But then after the Summer break came the victories at Spa, Monza and Singapore, which partly made up for those early disappointments. Even though they weren’t enough for us to win the World title, in our mind – that which nourishes the legend of the Prancing Horse – I believe they really were special moments for the fans as well as for us. Fans who showed how much passion they have at the event in Piazza Duomo in Milan for the celebration of the 90 years of the Scuderia, on the eve of the Italian Grand Prix. “An ovation from an unforgettable crowd of red, a demonstration that the legend is alive more than ever.”

Binotto flanked by Leclerc and Vettel in Piazza Duomo in Milan at the ‘Scuderia 90 years’ celebration<em> Photo: Getty Images</em>

And beyond the races?
“I am really happy with how the team spirit has grown. We are very united, compact, including the drivers, despite what some people insinuate. An example? On the Tuesday following the incident they were involved in at the Brazil Grand Prix, my phone rang and on the display I saw the names of Seb and Charles, together. They’d been in touch with each other, they’d cleared things up, and they called me together for a three-way call. It wasn’t just a gesture, and it really showed an impressive united spirit. And anyway, regarding Brazil, it’s better that such an episode happens now, it will help us to understand each other better for next year.”

Anything instead Mattia Binotto didn’t like in 2019?
“The fact that in this Formula 1 the challenge is not just technical and sporting but also political. We can’t let our guard down on that front, knowing that it’s not enough to have a competitive car and great drivers. I hadn’t expected that that aspect would mean so much effort.”