Binotto hopes 'party mode' ban aids ailing Ferrari

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto hopes the ban on qualifying 'party modes' will assist his team climb the order after a woeful showing at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Ferrari qualified for the Belgian Grand Prix with Charles Leclerc 13th and Sebastian Vettel 14th. In the race, although Leclerc moved up the order on the opening lap, the two occupied the same positions, albeit in reverse order.

On the long Kemmel Straight, all six Ferrari powered cars, those of Haas, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari itself, were sitting ducks for the rest of the field.

Vettel admits he fears the weekend will be another "difficult" one for Ferrari, and although sharing the thoughts of his driver, Binotto is hopeful the ban on changeable engine modes that comes into effect from this weekend will peg bag the gap to some of Ferrari's immediate rivals.

Binotto said: "Monza, certainly as Seb said it will be difficult as well.

He added: "There will be a new technical directive in place for the quali, where what we call 'the party mode' is not apparent. So in the quali it may affect some of the teams, I will be curious to see how much and which teams. It will be interesting in that respect."

The Belgian Grand Prix saw no Ferrari powered cars make it into Q3 and, with Monza - 'the cathedral of speed' - the most power sensitive circuit on the calendar, Binotto knows an improved qualifying performance is crucial to a less painful weekend.

"It is a circuit where it is high power sensitive, eventually it may change a bit the balance of competitiveness in the quali itself, and we know how important it is to start ahead, in a higher position on the grid because when you are in traffic it is always more difficult as well to make the car work."

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