2022 Is Ferrari’s ‘Most Important Opportunity’ – Binotto

Binotto said he hopes the team will take a step forward in 2021, but expects it to be another difficult season.

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has said the team is in a “difficult situation”, with the freeze on the development of many components limiting its ability to improve its package in 2020.

“How long will it take us to get back [to the front]? Obviously now we are in a difficult situation at the moment because of the regulations. A lot of components are frozen, [so we are] limited in the activities we may do in the wind tunnel or simulations,” he said in an interview with Autosport.

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Continuing in this vein, Binotto said he expects the remainder of this Formula One season to be “very difficult” for the Scuderia and he hopes they can take a step forward in 2021.

“But I think 2022 [when the new technical regulations will come into effect] will be our most important opportunity,” he added.

Binotto also briefly commented on the upgraded package that Ferrari will be running at the Russian Grand Prix later this month.

“There will be small upgrades, but this will not change the big picture.

“I think we are at the moment out of pace in the race, and we are somehow wearing too much the tyres. The upgrades will not be the ones that address it.

“I think on our side we need to review the projects, with the view of 2021. I think it will take some more time to do it.”

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Ferrari and its two customer teams – Haas and Alfa Romeo – have struggled this season, with the technical directives the FIA introduced regarding fuel flow and the burning of oils via the intercooler resulting in a profound drop in the performance of the Ferrari power unit.

The Ferrari SF1000 is also lacking aerodynamic and mechanical performance relative to many of its rivals.

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