Mattia Binotto became the team principal of Ferrari in 2019 after spending the previous two years as Chief Technical Officer for them. He has been involved with the Maranello-based outfit since 1995 and was part of some of the most dominant periods in F1 history.
He took charge of Ferrari as team principal when the team needed a major rebuild. They had to endure a very difficult 2020 campaign where they finished sixth, but the progress has been undeniable since then. In 2022, they were expected to fight for the World Championship once again, and that’s what the start of the season set fans up for.
Ferrari lost not only a team principal but practically a technical director too. 100 days before the start of the season, with important works to be done. Good luck replacing him in both roles
— Out of Context Mattia Binotto (@OfMattia) November 25, 2022
Ferrari had the fastest car in the early stages of 2022, but their performance fell off as the year progressed. On top of that, they showed a lot of cracks in the reliability department, which added to the misery from their strategic blunders.
Earlier this week, reports suggested that the Ferrari management wasn’t happy with Binotto’s leadership. Rumors also pointed towards Binotto considering resigning from his position as team principal.
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F1 expert feels sacking Mattia Binotto is not going to solve Ferrari’s problems
In a Twitter post, former F1 driver and current Sky Sports analyst Karun Chandhok shared his thoughts on Binotto leaving Ferrari. According to the 38-year-old, Binotto is still the right man to drive the prancing horses forward.
“Will be a shame to see Mattia Binotto go,” he said. “He tried to create a no-fear, no-blame culture. And as a part of that, he didn’t make the changes he should have.”
Will be a shame to see Mattia Binotto go. Always found him to be interesting & willing to chat.
He tried to create a no-fear, no-blame culture & as a part of that, he didn’t make the changes he should have.
Changing just the TP isn’t the answer – they need wider re-structuring
— Karun Chandhok (@karunchandhok) November 25, 2022
Chandhok then went on to suggest that changing the team principal won’t solve Ferrari’s problems. He called for wider structural changes that would help them more in the long run.
Binotto should be shifted into technical role, says Chandhok
Binotto is one of the most experienced engineers in F1 today. He has been with Ferrari since 1995 and has helped them design various Championship winning cars. This is why Chandhok feels that he should not be let go of. Instead, Binotto could use his experience and intelligence to help the Scuderia build a fast and reliable car.
“I wonder if Mattia needs to be shuffled sideways into a technical leadership role,” he added. “Let’s not forget they have designed and produced a very fast car this year. Creating a better operational and development team in parallel with the concept and design is key.”
