Ferrari respond to strategy mistakes perception
Ferrari respond to strategy mistakes perception
Mattia Binotto has criticised outside perceptions of Ferrari's strategy calls this season which have cost the Scuderia on numerous occasions during grands prix.
The most egregious case was during the Monaco GP in which, after starting from pole, Charles Leclerc failed to make the podium as he trailed home fourth due to the fact wrong tyre calls were made during changeable conditions.
At Silverstone, it was the opposite. On a track where overtaking is possible, Ferrari failed to stop Leclerc while he again led during a late-race safety car while almost everyone behind boxed to fit fresh, soft tyres. On old hards, he was again fourth.
In Hungary, and again while comfortably leading mid-race, Leclerc was inexplicably switched to hard tyres that wrecked another potential victory, slipping to sixth.
The summer break should have sparked a reset, but across the weekend in Belgium, Leclerc was sent out in qualifying on a new set of soft tyres when he was simply due to aid team-mate Carlos Sainz with a tow.
That proved costly as it meant when Leclerc was pitted ahead of the final lap in a bid to score the fastest-lap point, he had no new sets of softs and instead use scrubbed rubber.
In addition, there was also a misjudgment as he emerged out of the pit lane behind Alpine's Fernando Alonso. The bid failed as Leclerc lacked pace.
Asked whether Ferrari requires a rethink of how it operates its strategy, a defiant Binotto said: “No, I think there is no need at all.
"Obviously, there is always a need to try to improve and there are lessons learned, which we are looking at and reflecting on.
“But if I look back at the season, there is a lot of perception from outside compared to what is the truth and reality.
"Sometimes we are not doing mistakes while it is being perceived as a mistake.
“More than that, If I look at the race and focus on that, I think the call to stop him was the right call."
Ferrari looking to 'understand weaknesses'
The belief now is that with Leclerc 98 points adrift of Max Verstappen in the drivers' standings, and Ferrari 118 behind Red Bull in the constructors', both championship battles are over.
Suggested to Binotto that it was time to switch focus to next season, he said: "Next year’s cars will not be much different to the ones of today.
"Now we have got stable regulations that are quite prescriptive and whatever we may understand or develop this season will be to the benefit of next year.
“Understanding the weaknesses and trying to address them is a process that is useful and we will continue to do so.
“Tyre degradation was poor [in Spa] so if we can improve it over the rest of this season, it will be to the benefit of next year.
“And even if the gap [to Red Bull in Spa] was significant, I know it cannot be as big in the next races because of the different track layouts, and we will always try to fight for the best.”
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
F1 News Today: Vettel CONFIRMS stunning comeback as Red Bull boss issues Verstappen statement
- 53 minutes ago
Hamilton fired serious warning by Wolff as F1 star takes aim at controversial FIA decision - GPFans F1 Recap
- Yesterday 23:57
F1's quirkiest star begins selling ICE CREAM in latest venture
- Yesterday 22:57
F1 colleagues UNFOLLOW each other as internal drama cranks up
- Yesterday 21:57
Hamilton 'emotional burden' heading into 2024 season revealed
- Yesterday 21:12
Marko DIRECTLY addresses Verstappen quit rumours
- Yesterday 20:27
F1 Race Calendar
-
GP BAHRAIN
29 Feb - 2 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP SAUDI ARABIA
7 - 9 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP AUSTRALIA
22 - 24 Mar
Carlos Sainz
- GP JAPAN 5 - 7 Apr
- GP CHINA 19 - 21 Apr
- GP USA 3 - 6 May
- GP ITALY 17 - 19 May
- GP MONACO 24 - 26 May
Related news
F1 driver set to make STUNNING return to the grid
F1 pundit reveals the 'remarkable' driver top of team wishlists for 2025
Bearman reveals PAIN after first F1 experience
F1 veteran reveals driver that had a better debut than Bearman
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860