Ferrari: Binotto would have put more focus on downforce with knowledge of today

Team boss Mattia Binotto has admitted Ferrari should have made a car with more downforce for the 2019 Formula 1 season. Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc are fastest on the straights but struggle in the corners. He also believes downforce plays an important role in getting the tyres in the optimum zone. 

"Certainly these tyres require more downforce just to heat them up, to make them work. So, yes, if I would go back one year ago, I would give more focus on the downforce compared to what we did, even to the disadvantage of some more drag," Binotto told Autosport. 

During pre-season week 1, Ferrari was far ahead of their rivals Mercedes. Even by the end of testing, Toto Wolff admitted earlier that he expected to be in a position to fight for race wins, but anticipated Ferrari to have the edge. Whilst Binotto didn't expect exactly the same, he was also surprised by their weak performance in Australia.

"We've been surprised by our performance at the start of the season because maybe we were not thinking to be ahead, but at least as fast as them, and it was the case in Australia. Maybe it was the case in Bahrain, but it has not been on average the case we thinking," Binotto added. 

"If there is anything that needs to be looked at, it's maybe the average. And maybe as well winter testing simply was a case where we were overperforming or they were underperforming, whatever were the reasons, and that turned into a different situation on different circuits, different time, different weather, different tyres."