Former F1 driver questions Ferrari MISTAKE after huge departure

Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Screencap — Photo: © LAT Images

Ferrari

Former F1 driver questions Ferrari MISTAKE after huge departure

Ferrari have not improved since key team member's dismissal

Dan Davis

Tuesday 15 August 2023 17:42

Former Formula 1 driver Marc Surer has suggested Ferrari may be regretting their decision to part ways with Mattia Binotto in light of the SF-23's struggles.

Binotto resigned from his team principal role at the end of the 2022 season after a year marred by driver mistakes, car unreliability and costly strategy blunders.

Still without a job, he was then replaced by Fred Vasseur, who was snapped up from Alfa Romeo in a bid to transform the Scuderia's fading fortunes.

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But despite promising glimpses from both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, Ferrari continued to be plagued by several of the same performance headaches.

And while Surer, a racer for Brabham in 1985, believes Vasseur was the correct appointment, he has also indicated Binotto's exit could still be looming large.

Binotto stepped down as team principal last year after 28 years of service

Recovery 'lengthy process'

"I think Vasseur is certainly the right person for the job, he has the nerves," he told Formel1.de.

"But, of course, if he needs to reinforce the team now, he has a problem because hardly anyone wants to move to Italy. I mean, in England, there are so many opportunities. So, why would someone who has a family move to Italy now?

"The motivation for that would have to be very, very strong.

"Or if an entire group comes along, like it was with Michael Schumacher, who brought half the team with him. That's a different story. But at the moment, I also don't see any driver who could come to Ferrari and bring half the team with them.

"So, maybe in the long term, Vasseur can steer it in the right direction. If he brings in people who will be allowed to work in a year or so. So, it's a lengthy process.

"But it surprises me that the people who were there last year and built the superb car are no longer able to do it. The question naturally remains, is Binotto missing?"