“Ferrari won’t be competitive until 2022”- Ferrari Boss confesses dire situation of F1 team amidst the poor start in the 2020 season.
Ferrari is going through a challenging phase in their F1 history. They haven’t won a world title since Kimi Raikkonen did it in 2008. And this season hasn’t gone too well too, with just 27 points in three races.
On the Constructors table, Ferrari is fifth, behind the likes of McLaren and Racing Point. Not something you would expect from a team known as Ferrari, as their F1 Boss Mattia Binotto admitted.
Ferrari recently announced a technical team shake-up, which includes the creation of a Performance Development department. Significantly, it marks the return to a more prominent role for Rory Byrne. He is arguably Ferrari’s greatest-ever Formula One car designer.
Read more: All you need to know about Rory Byrne, the genius behind Michael Schumacher’s success.
Ferrari chairman has full faith in Binotto
To what will be music to Binotto’s ears, he has received public backing from John Elkann. This in spite of a difficult start to the season for F1’s most successful team. Elkann also admitted they would not be genuine title challengers until 2022.
This, well, will be music to Mercedes’ ears. “Today we are laying the foundations for being competitive and returning to winning when the rules change in 2022. I am convinced of it.”
Mattia Binotto, interestingly, was an integral part when Ferrari rules Formula One in the 2000s. He was a crucial element in the ‘dream team’ of Michael Schumacher, Jean Todt, Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne.
“Ferrari and Schumacher won five consecutive titles from 2000 to 2004. Elkann pointed this out, and indicated they need patience to ensure across the board.
“A long path awaits us. When Todt started that historic cycle (of five consecutive titles) in 2000, we came from a fast that lasted for more than 20 years, from 1979.
“It took time, from when he arrived in 1993 to when he brought Ferrari back to victory. The important thing, then, is to work on and off the track, bringing cohesion and stability, building the Ferrari we want step by step.”
What has gone wrong this season?
Elkann was naturally asked about the issues plaguing the team this season. A very significant element he pointed out was weakness in the car design. No wonder Byrne has been brought back to a more significant role in the Performance Development department. He ended it on a sombre note, admitting the problems are expected to continue this season.
“This year we are not competitive because of car design errors.”
“We have had a series of structural weaknesses that have existed for some time in the aerodynamics and dynamics of the vehicle. We have also lost in engine power. The reality is that our car is not competitive. You saw it on the track and you will see it again.”
Elkann is optimistic about the Sainz-Leclerc partnership
Elkann also spoke about the somewhat controversial decision of letting of Vettel (without any discussion), and confirming Leclerc for 2021 before the current season even started. He is placing trust in youth and hopes they will bring back Ferrari to the perch in the years to come.
“In the past 10 years, we have had champions such as (Fernando) Alonso and Vettel, who have been world champions. But it is undoubtedly more difficult to rebuild a cycle and ask patients to those who have already won compared to those who have the future ahead of them.
Also read: Ferrari’s Moto GP-like proposal rejected by FIA and fellow teams
“We are laying the foundations for building something important and lasting, and the contract we signed with Charles proves it: five years, never so long in Ferrari’s history.
“Leclerc and Sainz will make Maranello their home, will be close to our engineers. The new machine will be born with them.” he further said.
