(Motorsport) Despite a promising start to the 2022 season, Ferrari have fallen short in their hopes to finally compete for the World Championship due to a number of strategy and reliability issues. The F1-75 is a significantly better car than the 2021 counterpart, which makes Ferrari’s inability to give Red Bull Racing a run for their money all the more disappointing, especially considering that many of the errors from the team were not only utterly avoidable but shockingly amateur. 

The Italian Grand Prix at Monza is considered to be the Italian manufacturer’s home race and Ferrari chairman John Elkann expressed his “great faith” in team principal Mattia Bintto while admitting that he was disappointed by his team falling behind Red Bull. Responding to that interview, Binotto said “If we look at the current season, we know there are still steps which are required to be in the position to win a championship. Ferrari has done an enormous development from last season to this one. You need to look back many years to see such a big development. 

“Overall the team did a fantastic job in developing the current car, but still there are situations [that need improving]. The reliability – because the reliability cost us at least a couple of victories and in order to win championships you need to be reliable. Race management – strategy and pit stops areas of improvement are required. I think during the race weekend you may always make mistakes. I think being perfect is almost impossible, you need to make a decision on the pit wall, but we need to be the best." 

Ferrari have been criticised for being stubborn and resistant to change, despite results not going their way and glaring issues in nearly every race day. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Binotto admitted to the same by saying “We do not need to change people, but we certainly need to change some things. The way we are communicating, the way we are getting to the process of making our decisions.. changes are required. Adding value may be necessary, adding people as well. But changing people is not a path I want to go through, that's an old way of addressing issues." 

For a team that began the season as title contenders, Ferrari are now closer to third place Mercedes, with the gap only 35 points as compared to Red Bull Racing who are leading both the Drivers and Constructors Standings. When asked about the possibility of finishing behind Mercedes, Binotto said “it will be painful. For the result, for the way we started the season, because I think it will prove that we have not been good enough in improving the car through the season," he said. "And that there have been too many mistakes. But we are ahead and our intentions are to keep ahead." 

Ahead of Ferrari’s home race at Monza, the team’s chairman John Elkann said “We have great faith in Mattia Binotto and appreciate everything he and all our engineers have done. But there is no doubt that the work in Maranello, in the garage, on the pit wall and at the wheel needs to improve. We must continue to make progress and that goes for the mechanics, the engineers, the drivers and obviously, the entire management team, including the team principal. We have seen that there are still too many mistakes when it comes to reliability, driving and strategy. That's why I believe that before 2026 Ferrari will once again win the constructors' and drivers' titles, with Charles Leclerc in pole position."

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