Mattia Binotto isn’t the most popular personality in the F1 community, especially with the Tifosi. Many blame the Italian for Ferrari’s recent downfall, which has taken Vasseur a couple of years to get the Scuderia back at the top. Nonetheless, the former Ferrari team principal is believed to be on his way to Alpine.
According to Formu1a.uno, reports suggest that Binotto’s interest in Alpine has reignited. The Italian was spotted at the French stable last year and was rumored to be Otmar Szafnauer’s replacement. However, it is now believed that Alpine was seeking an engine specialist, but Binotto denied it because Aston Martin was in talks with him.
| Mattia Binotto is reportedly on Alpine’s shortlist as a potential next team principal.
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Aston Martin has now announced Andy Cowell as Martin Whitmarsh’s replacement. Thus, Alpine looks like the only option left for Binotto. The Enstone team is in a better situation now than they were at the start of 2024. Hence, the rekindled interest from both Carlos Sainz and Mattia Binotto.
This is partly because Alpine is rumored to leave the Renault power unit and become a customer team for the upcoming 2026 regulations. The engine has been Alpine’s Achilles Heel, making the least power on the grid. Thus, they may opt to have Mercedes or Ferrari power units. Flavio Briatore was recently signed by Alpine and he’s believed to be negotiating the engine deal.
Many questioned Alpine when they signed Briatore because the team needed technical reinforcements. Looking back at it, Briatore was just supposed to be a business mastermind for the team. Meanwhile, reinforcements are being made in the form of Binotto, Ferrari’s former head of engines and CTO.
What did Mattia Binotto do during his time away from F1?
Binotto was sacked by Ferrari at the end of the 2022 season. He spent the last season looking for a team amid his gardening leave. However, when nothing fruitful came, he decided to join the Administration Council of the Italian company Texa. Binotto was put in charge of the E-powertrains program. The company aimed to become a major supplier of all the internal components of an electric vehicle.
Binotto has a master’s in motor vehicle engineering and started his F1 career with Ferrari’s engine department in 1995. He was promoted over the years and eventually became the head of the engines department in 2013. With James Allison leaving, he was promoted to the role of Chief Technical officer in 2016 before becoming the team principal in 2019.
Binotto is a genius when it comes to powertrains. Ferrari never really understood that Binotto did not have a managerial mindset but a technical one. Texa recognized it and signed Binotto. Now, Alpine may have understood the same and therefore is rumored to be close to signing the Italian.
