Mattia Binotto expands and clarifies what John Elkann said about Ferrari winning F1 titles before 2026 and backing the Italian team boss.
A great start to season for Charles Leclerc and Ferrari with back to back wins in the opening two Grands Prix. Since then, it has been a Red Bull monopoly of sorts or some might say, a Max Verstappen monopoly. The Italian outfit have only achieved two further race wins and they have come in for criticism right across the board for their decision making at key moments in Grands Prix.
Ferrari chairman John Elkann, in the position since July 2018 advised to the press that he reckoned that the Italian manufacturer aims to be victorious in both drivers and constructors championships before 2026. It sounded, to the fan on the street perhaps a lack of confidence in the ability of the team to challenge for top honours for the remainder of this campaign and for the foreseeable few seasons.
Ferrari have the skill, technical know how and the people. Surely they will want to be triumphant in one or both championships before then. As it is, in terms of the drivers championship, Kimi Raikkonen was the last to win same for Ferrari in 2007. Binotto, who is also under fire expanded and clarified on what Elkann meant from his comments about Ferrari taking so long to win a championship.
“No, no at all, I think it’s more managing as far as the expectations but more than that, I think what he said precisely it’s ‘before 2026’ so from now to 2026 and no doubt that the ambition of the team is to do it as soon as possible,” said Binotto. “On the other side, if we look at the current season, we are fully aware that there are still steps which are required to be somehow in the position to win a championship”.
“Ferrari has done, I think, an enormous development in terms of performance from the last season to this one and if we look back at the… at least for Ferrari, you need to be back many years to see such a big development. So I think overall, the team did a fantastic job in developing the current car but still, there is situations as first I think the reliability because the reliability cost us at least a couple of victories and in order to win championships, you need to be reliable, no doubt”.
“Race management there as well, strategy, pitstops certainly areas of improvements are required. I think during the race weekend, you may always do mistakes. I think being perfect is almost impossible. You need to take decisions, real time at the pit wall but what needs there to be the best and the fact that we’re still making mistakes means that there is an area of improvement. So the team overall is a great team. It has proved (that) doing such a great car but certainly we are aware – as I said – that still there are steps of improvements which are required to win the championship and how long it will take back at the factory, here at the racetrack, we are all working very hard to be there as soon as possible”.
“That’s why I think as well that the final part of the championship is important for us, it’s important because we need to prove to ourselves that we are capable of addressing mistakes and improving furthermore, and that will be important too for the next season as well. So finishing well the season is important for the next one and furthermore for the following one. So it’s a continuous progress, it’s a continuous process of improvement on which we are but we are not too distant from where we need to be and I think it’s… by continuous working as we’ve made in the last few seasons, I’m pretty sure that these are very soon,” summed up Binotto in a long explanation.
Amid the title aspirations, Elkann also publicly said he has great faith and trust in Binotto amid rumours of his axe. The communication between them can only be for the good of the team and they are headed in the right direction and one knows what the other is doing and wants, the team will prosper.
“Is it a relief? First, I know and the team knows that we’ve got the full support of our chairman so we do not need an article or an interview to know that so we got – that was a question – yes, we’ve got continuous – let me say – discussion with him,” said Binotto.
“We are continuously in contact. We are commenting races, post-race. We are discussing race preparation, so he’s a person that is certainly a lot interested in what we are doing and supporting the team itself. Is it a relief? I think more for external – let me say – judgements rather than internal, so internally we were focused, we were okay and had no concerns but seeing such an interview certainly is great because it’s somehow confirming what we already know,” summed up Binotto.
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