Mattia Binotto talks about ‘leader’ Sebastian Vettel as the German discusses the ingredients Ferrari has to win F1 championships despite setbacks.
Vettel has always been one of the most talked about drivers’ in F1, be it because of an on-track incident, one of an off-track nature, or a stellar race from the German champion. It is a mixed bag which comes on with every leading driver.
Recently, however, Vettel has been talked about as a driver who has passed his prime, and lost his touch. This conversation usually flares up around races like Monza 2019, where he spun at the Ascari chicane and came back onto the circuit, hitting Lance Stroll.
Despite this, Ferrari team principal Binotto stated that Vettel has played a huge role in helping the team in recent times, as the Italian lauded him as a ‘leader’ within the outfit. “The credits no doubt,” he started to media including FormulaRapida.net.
“He comes with a lot of experience being world champion. I think he’s a great leader in the team his engineering, team with engineers, with his teammate as well, which is important and I thnk he’s always trying to push ourselves to our best.
“He is someone indicating as well in the organisation what he feels is not going right or where we should improve, which is not only a matter of driving but we try to help the entire team to improve itself. So he is demanding and what is important for the team, and that is a key attitude.”
The German joked about being demanding and annoying in that regard. Moving on, Vettel spoke about Ferrari’s chances for the 2020 F1 title. he made it clear that the Italian marque had the ingredients to win, but he also added that it will not be an easy fight.
“Obviously, it’s been a couple of years, I think, you know, the team has done a huge leap for huge leap forward since I joined in 2015 on many, many grounds, so, obviously, the regulations have changed and so on,” said Vettel.
“But I think we’ve proven that we’re able to build the fastest car. I think not too long ago, you know, if you take 2017 right from the beginning, we probably had the most innovative car so that speaks for the quality we have in our own roles for the engineering power.
“In 2018 a large amount of the season I think we were looking very good. Last year, I think we’ve had our strengths. Obviously, we didn’t have the strongest package, but we had a package that was strongest in certain circuits in certain areas.
“So I think the ability to deliver the best is there but obviously what’s missing is to bring everything together and have the best package. Now it also depends what the others are doing, it is not like we are, I think massively behind in one or the other area, but it’s small details in the end that can make them make a difference.
“And the competition level is very high. I think Mercedes are setting a very, very high standard as a team so it’s up to us to meet these standards. And I think from what I see inside moving around and so on, and the attention, the will determination but also the will as an organisation to keep improving, I think it is there.
“As I said it is at the end about small things, putting them together, it’s not easy. But certainly we’re trying very hard and we do have the ingredients.” The thoughts and ideas from Vettel was concurred by Binotto, with regards to Ferrari’s chances.
“As Seb said it is a lot of ingredients which are required,” he said. “I am a year only in the role of team principal and last year has been important for myself, I learned a lot, it has been very intense, a lot of challenges, but I think it has been a fruitful season for myself and for the team.
“We are starting to put in place a better organization, we are trying to improve our organisations, the strengths, the weaknesses, the weaker areas. But I think sometimes it takes time to see the benefit of all that because at the end, it’s a lot of details which are required to put all that together as Seb said.
“But I think we are on the right path. The team has improved in the last years. But as you said, we have competitors who are setting the standards as a team that are very high. But again I am optimistic for the future.”
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The story was edited by Darshan Chokhani