Mattia Binotto notes that Sauber has been on a survival mode for several F1 seasons and so he feels they certainly have to do a lot to overturn the culture and mindset.
Having taken over the reigns of Sauber/Audi project, Binotto has his task cut out certainly. He will have to perform the dual role until the arrival of its F1 team principal Jonathan Wheatley after the 2025 season has started. He is currently under gardening leave after leaving Red Bull.
Since joining the team, it has been a slow work considering the amount of things needed to be done. It is a big change for Binotto after decades at Ferrari. There is the Audi scene, but for years Sauber has been on the backfoot at its Hinwil base, with low amount of capacity.
The biggest change for a factory outfit is culture and mindset, which is what Binotto has to change. In the months he has been, he has seen how the team has been in survival mode. He has talked about how it is a challenge to make it successful by 2030 even.
“I think that team in the last year’s decade has been there surviving, in a survival mode,” said Binotto to media. “So at the end, it was about surviving, participating, trying to get the best out of it. But a winning mentality, a winning mindset, it’s a different approach. So there is certainly a lot that needs to be done in terms of culture, in terms of behaviours.
“It’s a long journey, we know about that, and acting on behaviours, maybe it’s even the most difficult. But we have started our journey. I think we’ve got a few projects. You mentioned the last four months. I have to say that since I started already, a lot has happened since then, which is not only the improvement at the racetrack, signing Bortoleto, having a new line-up for next year.
“It’s about Qatar as well, investment and partnership, which for us it’s a lot of capital injection but showing that overall as a team we are moving in in that direction with I think the right approach, the right thinking, thinking big, which is exactly the mindset we’re discussing about,” summed up Binotto.
Here’s Mattia Binotto on 2030 challenge
Here’s Nico Hulkenberg not worried about Sauber pace
Here’s Gabriel Bortoleto on securing F1 drive
Here’s Fernando Alonso, Nico Hulkenberg on Gabriel Bortoleto
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