(Motorsport) Swiss born Italian engineer Mattia Binotto has resigned as team principal at Formula 1 team Scuderia Ferrari and will leave his post on December 31st. The Italian manufacturer is expected to name a replacement in 2023 with Alfa Romeo boss Frederic Vassuer being linked to the job. Despite making a very promising start to the 2022 season, Scuderia Ferrari failed to win any of their last 11 races, suffering from a loss in performance and ended up in distant second place in the Constructors Standings behind Red Bull Racing.
While fans can take solace in the fact that the team have performed much better than the 2021 season, Scuderia Ferrari’s reliability and strategy errors have been extremely embarrassing to say the least, which has in part, justified Binotto’s resignation. The team has traditionally not experienced many leaks, especially regarding the hiring and firing of key personnel, but on the odd occasion that a leak has been revealed, it has turned out to be true.
Media outlets knew about Binotto’s departure well in advance despite Scuderia Ferrari insisting that the 53 year old’s departure was “totally without foundation”. His departure brings an end to his 28 year long career at Scuderia Ferrari and his three year reign as team principal.
“With the regret that this entails, I have decided to conclude my collaboration with Ferrari. I am leaving a company that I love, which I have been part of for 28 years, with the serenity that comes from the conviction that I have made every effort to achieve the objectives set. I leave a united and growing team.
Mattia Binotto
“A strong team, ready, I’m sure, to achieve the highest goals, to which I wish all the best for the future. I think it is right to take this step at this time as hard as this decision has been for me. I would like to thank all the people at the Gestione Sportiva who have shared this journey with me, made up of difficulties but also of great satisfaction.”
“I would like to thank Mattia for his many great contributions over 28 years with Ferrari and particularly for leading the team back to a position of competitiveness during this past year. As a result, we are in a strong position to renew our challenge, above all for our amazing fans around the world, to win the ultimate prize in motorsport. Everyone here at the Scuderia and in the wider Ferrari community wishes Mattia well for the future.”
Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna
“Thank you for everything, Mattia. We spent four very intense years together, full of great satisfaction and also, inevitably, moments that tested us. My esteem and respect for you have never diminished, and we have always worked with full dedication to achieve the same goals. Good luck for everything.”
Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc
Mattia Binotto became head of the engine department at Scuderia Ferrari in 2013, chief technical director in 2016 and replaced Maurizio Arrivabene as team principal in 2019. At that time, Ferrari had already crossed a decade without winning a World Championship and expectations were high that Binotto would be able to guide Formula 1’s most successful team back where they belong. His first season in charge was not without controversy as it involved an engine scandal, resulting in Ferrari and the FIA reaching a ‘private settlement’ after which performance levels dropped massively.
In 2020, Scuderia Ferrari adopted a different approach in car design that failed spectacularly, resulting in the team’s worst ever finish in 40 years and the struggle continued in the 2021 season as well, prompting the team to replace Sebastian Vettel with Carlos Sainz. 2022 was the season Ferrari planned to finally make their much awaited comeback, capitalising on the new rules and regulations imposed by Formula 1 and there were promising signs when the season began.
They had the fastest car on the grid and Charles Leclerc won two from three races at the beginning of the season but mechanical failures and strategic blunders cost them many wins as the season went by and Mattia Binotto his job. It remains to be seen how Ferrari perform in the 2023 season but in reality, they will find it difficult to match Red Bull and Mercedes.
Also read: Formula 1: Mercedes express interest in Mick Schumacher for reserve role
