Binotto ’disappointed and angry’ following Belgian Grand Prix
Scuderia Ferrari’s Managing Director and Team Principal Mattia Binotto left Belgium disappointed and angry despite having been aware of the difficulties the Spa track might pose to the team’s SF1000.
Ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Ferrari was prepared for a very difficult challenge at the iconic Spa circuit. However, Scuderia’s journey to Belgium turned into a nightmare with struggling at the very back of the field at some points of the weekend.
A tough qualifying on Saturday was followed up by an equally tough race on Sunday, with the team’s cars coming home in the 13th and 14th positions they’d started in.
Mattia Binotto can perfectly understand the emotions Ferrari’s passionate fans, the Tifosi feel right now after the dreadful race at Spa, but he indicated that his team will need more time to get on top of its current struggles.
"On a track that requires aerodynamic efficiency and power, we were severely lacking in both. Charles and Sebastian did their very best, both yesterday in qualifying and today in the race, but we couldn't even get into the points.
„We are disappointed and angry, as indeed are our fans and with good reason. It’s a difficult moment in a season that we knew from the start would be a tough one, but it’s at times like this that we need to stand firm and look ahead in order to get over this difficult period. It’s the only way we will get out of this situation."
Sebastian Vettel ended up 13th while his team mate Charles Leclerc came home in the 14th position. After having been stuck in traffic, the Monegasque opted for a two-stop strategy that did not pay off as the SF1000 was off the pace all through the race.
"It has been a very difficult day,” started Leclerc. „I had a very good start and managed to make up several positions thanks to a good tow up to turn 5, but after that things started to get worse. First of all, we lost time during both pit stops due to some issues.
„During the second stint, we knew that we couldn’t make any miracles happen so, seeing the position we were in, with a train of cars ahead and no possibility to overtake, we decided to try something different and go for a second stop. It’s a shame that it didn’t work out, but ultimately, today we just didn’t have the pace we needed.”
The two-time F1 race winner expects the next race at Monza to „be a difficult one for us, but hopefully from Mugello, it could get better. We have to stay united, react and work hard to come back to where we were before.”
Vettel admitted that his race car was just too slow and the results were a genuine reflection for what the SF1000 was capable of on the Spa circuit where aerodynamic efficiency is vital.
"It was not an easy race. We finished in the same place in which we started. We tried everything with both cars, but we were just too slow. I hope the situation on this circuit doesn’t repeat itself. I think this track maybe exposed our weaknesses a bit more than others.
„I believe we can do a bit better next week. We must work to make sure that we take everything we can from this weekend, learn all there is to learn and go forward,” concluded Ferrari’s quadruple world champion.
