Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto: Severe changes not required at Maranello

Ferrari

Binotto: Severe changes not required at Ferrari

Despite never being in the hunt for the championship in 2019.

Martin Macdonald

Wednesday 11 December 2019 10:00

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto reckons that no major or “severe” changes need to be made within the team in order for them to compete with Mercedes for the title in 2020.

In 2019, they suffered from various issues throughout the campaign such as engine reliability, team order spats, as well as people like Charles Leclerc, and indeed Binotto himself, embarking on their maiden season with the team in their new specific roles as driver and team principal.

This allowed Mercedes to lead the constructors’ championship from the get-go before eventually winning it with relative comfort.

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Even though the Scuderia never laid a glove on Mercedes, there is no need for any significant restructuring, according to Binotto.

"I think each single mistake, if you tackle it from a lesson learned point of view, you can improve yourself," he said.

"I think there is nothing that has to be changed in terms of big changes, severely. I think it's a matter of experience.

"We always said we are a young team, especially in the roles, we are on a very steep learning curve. So it's really a matter of making sure that whatever happens this season has been addressed."

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After enjoying an upturn in form after the summer break, Ferrari were scrutinised by the FIA due to the noticeable increase in engine performance. This eventually dropped again towards the latter stages of the campaign, and Binotto believes part of the reason for this is that Mercedes and Red Bull closed the power gap.

"We should not forget that Mercedes brought an area package in Japan," he told Motorsport.com when asked to explain the drop in form.

"Red Bull has improved as well. In Abu Dhabi, our car has never really suited to the circuit or to the track. But certainly in terms of the plan, it seems that we've lost some of our performance in the last races.

"Abu Dhabi is very specific but there is much to learn about why we are not competitive in the last sector, or why maybe on new tyres or at the start of the race we could have followed the others, but when the tyre are more worn it's more difficult for us.

"So I do not have an answer. But I know there is much to analyse and to learn."