Former Formula 1 owner Bernie Ecclestone believes that Ferrari made the wrong decision in promoting Mattia Binotto to the role of team principal, as he lacks the necessary leadership qualities.

Binotto took the reins at the Scuderia after the departure of Maurizio Arrivabene, but like his predecessor he was unable to topple Mercedes, who won their sixth championship in a row.

The 2019 season was littered with team squabbles, too, with questions raised over the team orders given to Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, with the team-mates even colliding to end each other’s race at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Ecclestone is of the opinion that being the leader of the team doesn’t suit Binotto.

“He’s an engineer, they need someone in there who can make people understand that when you say something it happens. Not maybe. Or a discussion.,” he told the Daily Mail.

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In Ecclestone’s opinion, Ferrari should have attempted to get former Benetton and Renault boss Flavio Briatore to run things.

“I would have got Flavio Briatore to run Ferrari. Flavio would do what he always did with Benetton and Renault: he’d steal the best people from other teams.

“The problem is that in the end Flavio would have let people think Ferrari belonged to him.”

Ferrari remain the most successful team in the history of F1, winning 16 world titles, with the last coming in 2008.