Mattia Binotto responds to Ferrari chairman’s ‘not satisfied’ remark amid axe threat

Ferrari are 135 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors' Standings.

Ferrari team principal, Mattia Binotto, agrees with chairman John Elkann after the Italian-American’s call for improvements.

The Scuderia’s title challenge has fallen apart this year following multiple instances of reliability failures, strategic mistakes and the occasional driver error.

Charles Leclerc has arguably lost six race wins this year, two of them to engine failures, three to strategic blunders, and one through a mistake that saw him crash into the barrier in France.

The Italian team have not looked as though they have learned from their errors, particularly on the pit wall, as they continue to make comical, almost inconceivable, mistakes.

READ: Charles Leclerc addresses Mattia Binotto departure rumours

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have won 10 races between them since Leclerc took his second win of the season in Melbourne, his first coming in Bahrain when he led home a one-two from team-mate Carlos Sainz.

The Spaniard himself has lost out on points this year after issues with the engine and his strategies, so the Maranello-based outfit have easily given away over 100 points in the title race in 2022.

There are positives to that; Ferrari have shown this year that they have a good enough race car to win races and championships, but it all needs to come together in a solid season.

Ahead of the team’s home race in Italy this weekend, Elkann warned Binotto that the mistakes being made this season cannot be repeated.

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While the 46-year-old acknowledged that his team are in a better place than they have been in the last couple of years, he admitted that he is not “satisfied.”

Elkann alluded to championship ambitions coming to fruition by 2026 when the new technical regulations come in, and Binotto wants to win the title at the earliest opportunity.

“I think it’s more managing the expectations, but more than that I think what he said precisely is it’s before 2026 – from now until 2026 – and I think the ambition of the team is now to do it as soon as possible,” he said, quoted by Formula1.com.

“If we look at the current season, we are fully aware that there are still steps that are required to be somehow in the position to win the championship.

“Ferrari has done I think an enormous development in terms of performance from the last season to this one and if we look back at Ferrari, you need to go back many years to see such a development. 

“Overall, the team have done a fantastic job in developing the current car but still there are situations: at first the reliability, because the reliability cost us at least a couple of victories, and to win a championship you need to be reliable, no doubt.

READ: Mattia Binotto says he’s not prioritising fixing Ferrari’s mistakes

“Race management as well, strategy, pit stops – improvements are required. I think during the race weekend you may always do mistakes. I think being perfect is always impossible but… what we need is to be the best, and the fact that we are still making mistakes means there is still areas of improvement.

“The team has done such a great car, but certainly, we are aware that there are steps of improvement that are required to win the championship. How long it will take back at the factory, here at the racetrack? We are all working very hard to be there as soon as possible.”

Leclerc will start Sunday’s race in Monza on pole position after a dominant qualifying performance, while Sainz is set to line up P18 after taking an engine penalty.