Ferrari president ‘lost faith’ in Mattia Binotto as he enters talks with Mercedes

Ferrari’s search for a new team principal has officially begun, with it having been confirmed by the Italians earlier in the week that Mattia Binotto will be departing the side on 31 December.



It was expected that the Italian would leave the Maranello-based team, with Binotto having faced a year full of criticism over the team’s strategic woes.



The side would’ve finished considerably closer to Max Verstappen and Red Bull in both championships had they aced their game plans more often, something they failed to do.



Charles Leclerc alone lost three potential victories in close succession as a result of a poor Ferrari strategy, with the three errors in question having occurred at Monaco, Silverstone, and the Hungaroring.







READ: Daniel Ricciardo reveals why he rejected Mercedes



Binotto was constantly asked during the season if strategic personnel needed to be changed, something he always denied.



Instead, it’s Binotto himself who will be replaced; however, the Italian has resigned rather than been sacked.



His relationship with Ferrari chairman John Elkann also reached an all-time low, with a journalist having likened them to “water and oil”.



“Binotto and (Ferrari chairman John) Elkann were like water and oil,” Italian journalist Leo Turrini told Radio24.



“When the Ferrari chairman loses faith in the team boss, this outcome is only logical.”



Many have come forward to criticise Elkann’s decision to accept Binotto’s resignation, given that prior to being the team’s boss, he was one of the best technical directors in motorsport.



It is all but certain that Binotto will crop up at another top F1 side in no time at all, with Turrini revealing that he’s already “in talks” with Audi, who’ll be joining the championship in partnership with Sauber in 2026.



“Binotto will soon start working with the competition,” Turrini predicts.



“I know what he is in talks with Audi.”



Mercedes are another side who have been linked to Binotto, with the Germans having a track record for signing ousted Ferrari personnel.




FIA president denies tensions with ex- #Ferrari team principal https://t.co/5upzDbvno9 — Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) December 1, 2022




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James Allison and Aldo Costa were both signed by the Silver Arrows after they were dropped by Ferrari, proving that Binotto will certainly be on Toto Wolff’s radar.



It is also being reported that the Renault group are interested in signing Binotto to work for the Alpine F1 outfit, according to Corriere della Sera.



Ferrari’s loss does certainly appear to be another top team’s game, with the wait now on to see if Binotto will have signed for another side before the start of the 2023 season.
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