Binotto on 2023: 'Being competitive is one thing, winning is quite another'

Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto is ending the season feeling satisfied. Speaking to Viaplay after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Italian says that although there is much to improve for the team he is still proud of this year's results.

A strong showing from Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, and the retirement of Lewis Hamilton, ultimately helped Ferrari finish this season in second place among constructors. That is the best result for the team since 2019. Leclerc eventually finishes in second place among drivers, something no Ferrari driver has managed since 2018. All in all, then, a reason to be satisfied, Binotto believes.

"Overall, I think we deserve it," said the team boss. "This is not only the outcome of a solid weekend but the balance of the whole season. We made the right choice in strategy this time, we managed to trick Checo [Perez] into an extra pit stop, that worked very well for us. So I'm very happy with how the team worked this weekend."

Yet Binotto also acknowledges that there might have been more in it this season. "We are still not the best team, we don't have the fastest car. We started well but through the season we made some mistakes up and down that we really need to work on. Being competitive is one thing, winning is a completely different step and that is the most difficult one. I don't think it's one specific area we need to adjust, we need to improve in every area."

This might be Binotto's last season as Ferrari team boss. Rumours suggest that Alfa Romeo team boss Fred Vasseur will take over from Binotto in January. To Viaplay, Binotto would not respond to questions about this.