Auto Bild, the leading German automobile magazine based in Hamburg, also confirms what Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport has reported earlier today, the fact that Mattia Binotto will become Ferrari’s Team Principal and that the official announcement will be made in the following days.
Auto Bild also reported that after Sergio Marchionne’s death, Maurizio Arrivabene took control of everything at the Maranello team and among other things he has done, he took away the control of the technology budget from Mattia Binotto, which has been considered one of the reasons for which the development of the SF71H car was not ideal in the second half of the 2018 Formula One season.
According to the leading German automobile magazine, chief technical director Mattia Binotto made it clear to the Ferrari management led by Louis Camilleri and John Elkann that things could not go on like this and threatened to leave. However, he won at the end and Maurizio Arrivabene had to leave. Auto Bild adds that this is good news for Sebastian Vettel, as the German driver lacked emotional support and the backing of his team boss. Mattia Binotto is down to earth and more empathetic than Maurizio Arrivabene and has the larger camp within the team.
The new Scuderia Ferrari technical director will be ex-FIA man Laurent Mekies, who has been with the Maranello team since autumn and has been signed by Mattia Binotto.
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