Ferrari’s Mattia Binotto happy with the SF71H’s performance
Ferrari’s Technical Director Mattia Binotto is delighted with the performance of the team's 2018 car, but he refused to pinpoint the main strengths of the package.
After winning the 2008 Constructors’ Championship, the Scuderia endured a rather difficult spell, including two winless year in 2014 and 2016. However, it managed to pick up the pace in 2017 to score five victories with Sebastian Vettel even if the Italians played second-fiddle to arch rival Mercedes in terms of peak performance. For 2018, the team showed another lift in performance which prompted many to claim that the Scuderia broke Mercedes’ four-year-long dominance in the sport. Ferrari’s Technical Director Mattia Binotto who has been part of the team since 1995 praised the whole package of the SF71H rather than pinpointing a particular area.
„So to try to distinguish if there is a little difference, where it’s coming from, is a very difficult exercise. Our package is working well as a whole, from the aero, from the chassis, mechanicals and the power unit and I think that as well in terms of development we are all focused on all the areas.”
Compared to last year, Ferrari is strong on every type of circuit which was the result of a thorough overhaul of the car. The team identified last year that fast-speed circuits were the Achilles’ heel of the 2017 package which prompted the team to enhance the aerodynamic efficiency of the car.
„Certainly we are in a better position compared to ourselves, to start with, and if I consider Spa last year, for example, we were not as competitive as we have been this year. I think that since the very start of this season, since the launch of the car, we mentioned and we said that we focused our development in terms of efficiency and to make sure that our car could compete on medium-fast circuit types and I think that somehow we have achieved it. On circuits where efficiency is important, like Silverstone, like Spa, we got good results and I think that is a good base for the rest of the season.”
Ferrari is trailing Mercedes by a deficit of 25 points whereas Sebastian Vettel is 30 points adrift of championship leader Lewis Hamilton. Ferrari has missed out a few opportunities this year and could lead both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship. Binotto thinks that the fight for both titles are on the table give Ferrari’s current form.
„So again, compared to last year, I think we can count on a car, which is certainly better in efficiency today. There are still eight races to go, so it’s still long and it will be a long and difficult battle,” concluded Binotto.
