Binotto: Ferrari's upswing in form encouraging for 2021 hopes
Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Mattia Binotto says his outfit’s recent uplift in form is an encouraging sign about its chances of further progress in 2021.
The Italian squad faced a difficult start to this season, with its SF1000 down on power compared to last year and its chassis lacking aero efficiency.
It launched a two-probe attack in its bid to return to competitiveness; readying an all-new engine on the dyno at its Maranello factory and also focusing on car changes to address its aero weaknesses.
While the dyno work will only be shown in public once 2021 testing starts, a raft of aero changes to its SF1000 to overcome its deficiencies has paid off with the team now back in the fight for podium finishes.
At the recent Turkish Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel finished third, while teammate Charles Leclerc’s fourth place also meant Ferrari scored more points than any other team in the race.
Binotto, who elected to work remotely from Maranello rather than travel to Turkey, believes that the upswing in form that Ferrari has delivered proves that the team can eke out more speed from its current car even though F1’s chassis rules are frozen in to 2021.
“It’s obviously very important for Ferrari doing well at the moment,” he said. “We know that we have improved the car and, if you look at the last races, we improved our position in the race.
“I think the car has become more consistent and the car has become a bit faster. So it’s great, at least, to have those results, because I think it’s great for next year. It’s great looking ahead as well to the next races.
“I think that as well in terms of constructor positions, it’s not the end of the championship, so it’s encouraging.
“The people are working hard back at home trying to understand the weaknesses of the car and trying to address them. And especially, as we are preparing for next season, those results somehow are encouraging ourselves.”
But although the Turkey result has pointed to Ferrari performance gains, there remains some caution that the team’s form at Istanbul was flattered by the tricky track conditions.
The low-grip asphalt in the dry, plus the rain that marred running on Saturday and Sunday, meant the form book was slightly different to a more normal dry weekend.
Vettel believed that Turkey put more emphasis on driver ability than when things are dry and car performance becomes more important again.
“I think the truth is that you have more ability to make a difference in those conditions, because it's so slippery and so much on edge,” he said.
“You're still depending on if you get the tyres in the right window, and how the car works. But let's say there's more room for yourself to be expressed.”
Related video
Wolff was "pretty relaxed" about Russell’s Williams future
How a "supernatural" adaption resurrected Gasly’s F1 career
Rolex 24 qualifying race scrapped for 2023
IMSA has announced that the grid for next year's WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona will no longer be determined by a qualifying race.
F1 should not be afraid to limit "ritualistic" DRS use from 2023, says Brawn
Formula 1 should not be afraid to make the DRS advantage less powerful from 2023 in a bid to stop overtaking becoming too "ritualistic", says Ross Brawn.
Sneak peek of Supercars visor cam
Visor cam made its first appearance in Supercars today during the qualifying broadcast for the Adelaide 500.
Adelaide Supercars: Provisional pole for Mostert, van Gisbergen last
Chaz Mostert scored provisional pole in Adelaide while Shane van Gisbergen will start the first race from dead last.
The key F1 management call Ferrari must make to avoid more defeat
OPINION: Mattia Binotto’s departure from Ferrari will naturally bring a range of changes across the Formula 1 team. But how the changes shape up and the impact they could have is set to be dictated by a key direction Ferrari’s top dogs will need to pick
The difference between Mercedes’ stumble and the fall of F1 giants
OPINION: Mercedes endured its worst season of the hybrid Formula 1 era, but was mercifully spared its first winless campaign in over a decade late on. It has owned up to the mistakes it made which led to its troubled W13. And while its task to return to title-challenging contention is not small, its 2022 season seems more like a blip than the beginning of a downward spiral.
The physical focus bringing out the best from Esteban Ocon
Esteban Ocon likes to point out he’s the first driver since Lewis Hamilton to emerge from a spell as Fernando Alonso’s teammate with a superior overall points record. While some may disagree, as LUKE SMITH discovered, the 2021 Hungarian GP winner reckons it’s not just luck which has made him France’s pre-eminent Formula 1 driver of the moment…
How Red Bull's dynamic leader Mateschitz shaped its F1 philosophy
The death of Dietrich Mateschitz last month has not only deprived Red Bull of its visionary founder, it has shorn Formula 1 of one of its most influential benefactors. Mateschitz himself was famously media-shy, preferring to let the brand do the talking on his behalf. And, while it’s now normal to speak of Red Bull F1 titles and champions made, Mateschitz never assumed it would be easy or even possible – as ANTHONY ROWLINSON discovered during this previously unpublished interview from 2006…
Can Mercedes break Formula 1's cycle of doom?
OPINION: Teams that have dominated for long periods throughout Formula 1's history often take years to get back to the top of the tree once they've slipped down. But it remains to be seen whether the same will happen to Mercedes after a challenging 2022 season
What hurt Perez most in his ill-fated fight for second in Abu Dhabi
Arguably the favourite in the battle to finish second-best in 2022's Formula 1 standings, Sergio Perez's two-stop strategy at Abu Dhabi couldn't take him ahead of Charles Leclerc when the music stopped - and several key factors ultimately precluded him from the much-coveted runner-up spot.
The Abu Dhabi momentum that can propel Leclerc and Ferrari to F1 2023 success
OPINION: Charles Leclerc achieved his target of sealing runner-up in the 2022 world championship with a masterful drive behind Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi. And that race contained key elements that may help him, and Ferrari, go one better in Formula 1 2023
2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Driver Ratings
The 2022 Formula 1 season came to a close at the Yas Marina Circuit, where the battle for second in the standings was decided, the wins in a season record extended and a retiring four-time world champion bowed out on a high. Here's how we rated the drivers