Despite Ferrari initially denying the information, Mattia Binotto eventually stepped down as Ferrari team principal, ending ties with the team after 28 years.
The reasons why Mattia Binotto, who worked as an engineer for many years before being promoted to team principal (a role he has held since 2019), decided to leave the Maranello team are not yet clear.
The Italian media presented several theories, among which there is also a report about Charles Leclerc and his entourage possibly pushing for the sporting director to resign because they were dissatisfied with some race dynamics (the management of the British Grand Prix was cited, which led to Carlos Sainz winning the race, while Charles Leclerc ended up in P4 due to a questionable strategy call).
Rwandan and Belgian racing driver and television presenter Naomi Schiff, who is also an analyst for Sky Sports F1, dismissed this assumption as she does not believe a driver has the power to sack a team boss even if he is not happy with how things have been handled.
“I don’t think the drivers have that much power. They can talk about their disappointments, but Charles Leclerc has done nothing but show his support for Mattia. I don’t think he depends on Charles Leclerc. There is a senior management at the top at Ferrari who expects more of than what has been done this year.” – she pointed out.
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Will Mattia Binotto‘s resignation have a negative impact?
The former W Series driver also spoke about the fact that Ferrari are now looking for a fifth team principal since Jean Todt handed the reins to Stefano Domenicali at the end of 2007, which remains the last time Ferrari won the Drivers championship.
When asked if Mattia Binotto’s resignation would have had a negative impact on the team, Naomi Schiff replied that things would be different if it happened in another sport.
“If you think about football, they replace coaches and managers much more often than they do in Formula 1. Mattia Binotto would not have lasted this long if he had been in another sport.” – she added.
According to the Sky Sports F1 presenter, in these cases there is a need to “create new momentum”. Even more so given the fact that the fans who watch Formula 1 “know what to expect” from a team as historic as Ferrari.
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