In an interview with Corriere, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto spoke about the Scuderia’s return to the top…
Q: How do you feel back in Imola?
Mattia Binotto: Home track. There is a special air, a special passion. I can’t imagine how many times I came here for tests. First with Berger and Alesi, then with Schumacher. There we played soccer with cones instead of goals.
Q: Back then the team was just as taxed to win as it is now?
Mattia Binotto: There are certain parallels. Then Ferrari did not win for a long time, the team was re-established, many young engineers came, including me. Now I see the same hunger for success. It’s not just the desire to win a Grand Prix or a title. We want Ferrari to once again become a point of reference for rivals, a benchmark.
Q: The goal is very ambitious, why did you celebrate the wins in Bahrain and Australia so modestly?
Mattia Binotto: One-time successes cannot be the goal. We know how fast the situation in Formula 1 is changing, no illusions, we know we have to make constant progress.
We want to climb to the top and stay there for a long time. It would be too arrogant to think that we will always win. But we must always fight for victory. That’s the goal.
Q: If you only win the title in individual competition this year, like Red Bull did last year, are you unhappy?
Mattia Binotto: The Constructors’ Cup is important for the team. Yes, the title in the individual league is always very much appreciated, but we have higher goals.
Question: Is it true that defeats teach more than victories, or is it just an established expression?
Mattia Binotto: Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward. Losses allow you to find weaknesses, bring your team together and motivate you to invest in equipment and people. We’ve been doing this for the past two or three years and we’ve accomplished a lot.
Q: Have you ever felt that everything was in vain?
Mattia Binotto: Not. I’m too stubborn. I cannot give up because I am not the only one responsible for success or failure. We are a team, I am one of the many elements. We have always stayed close, which has helped me a lot.
Q: Is it possible to say that Mercedes and Red Bull are now paying the price for fighting to the last lap of the last race last year?
Mattia Binotto: I do not think so. They had their own job, we have ours – we added that as the season progressed. Working on the future, getting punched in the face every weekend with bad results was not easy. But we have saved face and are on our way to our goal. If rivals lag behind, there are other reasons for it. It has nothing to do with last season.
Q: Who are you more afraid of this season – Red Bull or Mercedes?
Mattia Binotto: Red Bull – they have great potential to refine the machine.
Q: Do you feel confidence from President John Elkan and CEO Benedetto Vigny?
Mattia Binotto: Yes, otherwise we wouldn’t be talking now. We have a trusting and transparent relationship.
Q: What is Charles Leclerc’s strength?
Mattia Binotto: It occupies the entire track. When Charles takes the lead, it’s hard to overtake him. In close combat he is a real wizard.
Q: What about Sainz?
Mattia Binotto: He is studying. Carlos is a fast driver, he knows how to adapt and grow, he needs more time. He adds. Without the Melbourne mistake, Carlos would have been second in the standings.
Q: When did you realize this car could win races?
Mattia Binotto: After the first day of testing in Barcelona. Sometimes one set of circles is enough for this. If the driver then leaves the car with a smile, all is well.
Q: Did the new simulator and new technologies cost you a lot?
Mattia Binotto: Expensive. But now we have predictive tools to quickly identify the problem and cause. They will be fundamental to the development of the car as the season progresses.
Q: In Melbourne Leclerc dominated the race, as Schumacher did in his day…
Mattia Binotto: Sometimes it seemed like I was reliving that time. We haven’t won with such an advantage in a long time.
Q: What have you taken away from the experience of those years?
Mattia BinottoA: The need to constantly improve. We are only at the beginning of the journey. And the hardest is yet to come.
Q: How do you relax?
Mattia Binotto: At home, in the garden. Walking in the woods, cycling in the Apennines. But I can’t really turn off.
Q: What about a good book?
Mattia Binotto: Unfortunately I don’t read much. I’d like to, but I usually fall asleep after a few pages.
Q: Do you want your kids to follow in your footsteps?
Mattia Binotto: Marco studies design, Chiara studies anthropology. I’ve always hoped they’d take a different path than mine.
Q: If you weren’t the head of the Formula 1 team, what would you like to do?
Mattia Binotto: I would do carpentry.
Source: F1 News
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
