Mercedes 'no blame culture' key to Ferrari success

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has revealed the Scuderia's progress this season has been aided by adopting the 'no blame culture' of rivals Mercedes.

Charles Leclerc has scored two race wins this season and trails championship leader Max Verstappen by just nine points ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Ferrari's resurgence since its dreadful 2020 season has been startling with the team climbing from sixth in the constructors' standings to now becoming title challengers.

Speaking to the BBC, Binotto explained a "no-blame culture" similar to that of eight-time consecutive constructors' champions Mercedes has helped to drive change.

"We worked a lot on that," Binotto said.

"It is taking the error more as an opportunity of a lesson learned, rather than blaming and pointing fingers.

"It is all about being brave enough to hear, to listen and to do something which is really open-minded. It is about working as a team, a single individual understanding the common responsibility."

Ferrari F1-75 a product of tough recent past

The fresh set of technical regulations for the current season provided Ferrari with an opportunity to climb the order faster than would usually be possible in a normal development cycle.

But Binotto maintains the F1-75 is the result of the team's long term struggles.

"The team is people, culture, tools and methodology," Binotto added.

"The car is simply the product of the team, starting in 2017 with a good base, but not with the right experience, skills and tools.

"Since then, step by step going through 2019, 2020, we have got to where we are today."

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