Ferrari’s Team Principal, Mattia Binotto might be on the way out as the Italian team is looking for a change in leadership. The Italian took charge of Ferrari in 2019 but his time has not produced anything significant for the team.
Under Binotto Ferrari has claimed 7 wins and 23 pole positions, and a second-place finish in 2019. But the team has massively underperformed and went through a chaotic 2020 season finishing 4th in the standings.
Binotto’s time at Ferrari has been marred with horrendous strategy calls which cost the team the title in 2022. And the frustration due to the lack of silverware has reached Maranello who is considering sacking Binotto.
Italian Journalist Leo Turrini reported the story that Ferrari has been considering a change in leadership for a while. But the results in Brazil 2022 might have sealed his fate.
Mattia Binotto out, Frederic Vasseur in
Mattia Binotto was not present at the 2022 Brazilian GP. But the strategic errors made by Ferrari reflected what they have been doing for the entire season.
Charles Leclerc’s tyre goof-up in the Qualifying session made a mockery of Ferrari. And Ferrari’s head might have seen this moment as the final nail in the coffin.
Turrini reported the Chairman of Ferrari John Elkann has considered the move after the result in Brazil. Especially after Mercedes, who struggled all season long secured a dominant 1-2 at Interlagos. And that a replacement “is inevitable.”
The possible successors for Binotto’s role are Antonello Coletta, head of Ferrari’s Hypercar programme. And the other is the current Alfa Romeo Team Principal Frederic Vasseur.
Vasseur has been with Sauber since 2017 and has even managed Charles Leclerc during his first season in F1. The Frenchman also has good relations with Nicolas Todt.
Todt is a good friend and has managed Leclerc in the past. He is also the son of Former Ferrari boss Jean Todt who oversaw the team during its glory years with Michael Schumacher.
Also Read: “F***ing beautiful” – Charles Leclerc frustrated with Ferrari’s bizarre strategy at Brazil GP
Ferrari aims to return to winning ways
Mattia Binotto might have not been responsible for the current troubles at Ferrari. But the intention to change a team Principal is a clear sign of frustration.
Charles Leclerc took a win for Ferrari in the 2022 Bahrain GP. This was the team’s first win in over 900 days since the 2019 Singapore GP. But a great start to the season was ruined by reliability errors and poor strategy calls. Leclerc himself acknowledged this is why they lost the championship to Red Bull and Max Verstappen.
Scuderia Ferrari is one of the most revered teams in the history of F1. Ferrar is the oldest surviving and most successful Formula One team and has participated in every season since the inception of the sport in 1950.
The Italian team boasts 16 Constructors’ Championships. and 15 Driver’s championship titles. Some of the greatest drivers in the sport like Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Niki Lauda, Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel have driven for the team
But recently the winning legacy of the team has changed and the team have been left far behind. The last World Champion Ferrari had was Raikonnen in 2007 and it has been 15 years since the team has challenged for the title.
The team needs a revamp internally and it must be summed up before the 2023 campaign begins for the Italian team. As they would look to fight and break the 16-year-long break to become champions again.
Also Read: Mattia Binotto admits that Ferrari is missing the winning mentality of the Michael Schumacher era
