Ferrari

Vettel's objective at Ferrari remains the same - to be world champion

Martin Macdonald Tuesday 20 August 2019 13:30

Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto insists that Sebastian Vettel’s objective of winning the world championship with the Scuderia has not changed, despite the team struggling in the 2019 season so far.

The Maranello outfit are the only one of the top three teams yet to win a race this campaign, with Mercedes winning 10 out of the 12 GP events through Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull winning the remaining two through Max Verstappen.

Not only has Vettel needed to focus on his own shortcomings and the constant criticism from the partisan Italian sports media, but he has had to contend with the emergence of Charles Leclerc as his team-mate, with the rookie impressing since moving from Sauber.

The German is currently fourth in the drivers’ championship, but Binotto says his man has not given up his dream of helping Ferrari to their first driver title since 2007.

"I think that his objective hasn't changed - to become world champion with Ferrari," Binotto told Motorsport.com.

"And he's got that objective very clear. Obviously, the start of the season in that respect was frustrating, because it means for his final goal he's not in the best position to achieve it in 2019.

"But because he's got such a strong objective, he knows exactly what he's looking for.

"I think that is where he's finding his own boost, and that is not compromising anything, so he's clearly still pushing [very] much, because he knows where we need to go and he knows exactly what he's looking for."

Binotto credits Vettel for his demeanour and approach when trying to improve things, saying it is an advantage whenever there is something needing to be fixed on the car.

"He's very analytical, in his way of looking at the problems and the lack of pace, and I think that's helping the team as well," the Italian added.

"Because at the end it's only a matter of looking at facts, understanding what is wrong, what needs to be improved. I think in that respect he's got the right approach."