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Ferrari had to take firm action to increase chance of success

Ferrari had to take firm action to increase chance of success

24-08-2022 15:57

GPblog.com

Mattia Binotto is in his fourth season as Ferrari team boss. Whereas in his first years he had to try and get the Italian formation back on its feet, this season he has the means to go for the world title. That battle is not going well for him so far.

The 52-year-old team boss has been around at Ferrari for some time. Where he was the head of the engine department from 2013, he was promoted to Chief Technical Officer three years later. When Maurizio Arrivabene left Ferrari in 2019, the stable decided to move Binotto on.

Binotto was tasked by his team with taking the formation to the world title, but this proved more difficult than expected. In his first season with Ferrari, he fell more than 200 points short of Mercedes, while 2020 was a disaster year with sixth place in the Constructors' Championship. Binotto did not give up, however, and built a team ready to compete for prizes.

Binotto builds strong car with Ferrari

As a result, this season Ferrari has a car that can compete at the front. During the first half of the season, Ferrari was able to outperform Red Bull Racing in qualifying, while in the race it often had to give in to the competition.

In the process, Ferrari shot themselves in the foot. Strategic blunders by Ferrari at Silverstone and Monaco, for example, meant that the Italians were unable to achieve the results they were capable of. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz did not understand this.

As a result, the difference in the world championship has increased to eighty points in favour of Max Verstappen, which means the Dutchman is well on his way to a second world title. It would be a tragedy for Ferrari because that team should be able to fight with its qualities until the end of the season for the main prize of the year.

Where does the responsibility lie?

After half a season it seems clear to Ferrari that something structural will have to change if they are to achieve success in the coming years. Behind the scenes, the team is looking for solutions and one of the discussions is where the responsibility for the disappointing results lies.

The name of Inaki Rueda is the first to come up. The strategic director of Ferrari cannot possibly be satisfied with the performance of his team a few days before the Belgian Grand Prix. That he might come under pressure will surprise few people. Laurent Mekies will also have to scratch his head, however, because as Binotto's sporting director and assistant team boss, it is understandable that his team is also looking at him.

Binotto's work this season, however, is creating a big question mark. Not only is he responsible for the entire team and barely managed to change anything within Ferrari before the summer break, but he also brought little clarity to Leclerc and Sainz. Both drivers still do not know who the front driver is, which means they are taking important points away from each other.

Binotto's qualities lie elsewhere

First and foremost, Ferrari should erect a statue to Binotto for the work he has done in recent years. While the team was still under a lot of pressure in 2020, he quickly managed to sort out the problems and build on the Italian team's return to the top.

This season, however, Ferrari is in a different phase and lacks a clear leader who can take the team by the hand both in the media and in the office. Binotto may be doing his best to take the pressure off his team in the media, but in many other areas, he is following an unclear policy. And that is exactly the direction that Ferrari needs to go in order to finally win the world title in the coming years.

Ferrari would therefore be wise to opt for a change of guard. With a new chief strategist, a new team boss and the resources at its disposal this season, it could well make life difficult for Red Bull in 2023. Ferrari just need to have the guts to make that change.