Scorpaguy wrote: ↑22 May 2019, 20:20
roon wrote: ↑17 May 2019, 17:46
Why was Arrivabene fired? How long will Binotto last?
Short answer is politics. Arri had the team pretty darn close. However, he was not a favorite of the media, nor some of the brass. Many thought of him as harsh and brash, which i believe to be needed in this ultra competitive environment. It seems the brass thought the 2018 car tech wizard Bino could do the job and not be a prima donna in the process. Arri's axing doomed the Big Red IMHO.
As for Bino, watch Monaco. If it is another Merc cake walk and Red Bull either splits or all out beats Ferrari, he may be lucky to make the season. At this point, he is gone at year's end if he cannot win either the WDC or WCC...which basically means winning out most of the remainder of this year.
Personally, i fear a larger catastrophe. If RB beats us at year's end, the old "Does Ferrari need F1" question will rear its ugly head again. At this point, F1 has lived without a Red champion for some time, so that part of the equation is already answered. With Big Red spending more than Merc, yet getting beat by the Bulls...i can see them leaving for easier pastures (eg LMP1).
Merc is a automotive tech/engineering powerhouse. Ferrari does not have to beat them to remain "interested" in F1, just be competitive (ala 2018). But they HAVE to beat the Bulls to save face...and such seems in jeopardy this year.
I think your prediction of Binotto being fired at year's end is a little premature. I think the leash around his neck is longer than that. Maybe not a lot longer, but his departure is not certain, at least as of now. And that assumes Ferrari finishes the constructors' championship in 3rd place behind Red Bull.
Before the season started, I suggested it was crazy to give 1 man these two titles; that's a lot of work for a single person and the team/organizational/structural mistakes we have seen Ferrari repeatedly make suggest Binotto is not up to the dual title role.
I think he should be left to focus on the technical side of things with someone brought in to run the team.
I was never a big lover or hater of Arrivabene; I think he should be easily replaced with someone of equal competence.