Mattia Binotto: “There is bitterness. We tried to win, it was a tempting opportunity”. Binotto on the Turkish GP.

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari tried to win the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix by not responding immediately to the pit stops of Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas who at that moment were ahead of the Monegasque driver. The Dutchman, second, was the first to stop so as not to take risks with intermediate tires that had covered more than thirty laps as Red Bull was certain they would be back in front of Lewis Hamilton. Bottas then responded to Verstappen’s stop, with Charles Leclerc finding himself the leader of the Grand Prix.

At that point the Monegasque of Ferrari tried to go to the checkered flag with the same set of tires with which he had started, but Bottas caught up with the SF21 #16 passing him at the first corner. Charles then returned to the box. The gamble of trying to win cost Charles the podium, fourth at the finish line, but at the end of the race he was not at all angry with the Ferrari pitwall for deciding on a strategy of trying to win the race.

For the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix, Mattia Binotto remained in Maranello and connected to Turkey through the remote garage. The Ferrari Team Principal was interviewed by Sky Italy admitting to feeling bitterness, but at the same time satisfaction for having been in a position to try to win the race, a result that is missing for over two years: “We believed in victory, we tried. The feeling is one of bitterness. We have been brave. We were quietly third. We risked losing the third position for the fourth, as it happened later, but it could have been a tempting opportunity. Just trying, then that’s how it went. Charles returned in front of Perez, then in the first laps everyone suffered from graining and we paid for this factor” – he explained.

The first race with both Ferrari SF21 cars powered by the upgraded power unit is more than encouraging in view of the next six events still on the calendar: “The power unit is giving us an advantage at the moment. It is useful not only in qualifying, but also in overtaking during the race. We know that we can now count on this power unit until the end of the season with both drivers without penalties.” – Mattia Binotto concluded.