Mattia Binotto told to ‘seek reinforcements’ amid Ferrari struggles

Red Bull look almost certain to wrap up both titles this year.

Former Formula 1 driver, Jean Alesi, has advised team principal, Mattia Binotto, to recruit “reinforcements” to help his team.

The Italian side started the season in style under the new technical regulations, as Charles Leclerc took victory in two of the opening three races in Bahrain and Australia.

Carlos Sainz had come home second to ensure the team’s first one-two since 2019, and things were looking up for the outfit that had not won a race in either of the last two seasons.

However, Red Bull have brought themselves back into play since the third round of the season, and Leclerc and Sainz have won one a piece in the last 13 rounds.

READ: Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz handed major boost for Singapore GP

The rest have gone to Red Bull, with Max Verstappen claiming 10, and Sergio Perez one.

While the Scuderia have had the better qualifying car over the course of 2022, Red Bull’s race pace has been exceptional, but pace has not been the only factor.

Leclerc lost wins in Spain, Monaco, Baku, Silverstone, France and Hungary due to a combination of reliability failures, a driver error, but more glaringly, astonishing strategic mistakes.

Sainz too has lost out on podium finishes because of engine failures and errors on the pit wall, as well as one or two mistakes of his own.

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As impressive as Red Bull and Verstappen have been, Ferrari have not helped themselves at times this season, but Binotto has refused to lay the blame on them at any point.

The Italian has remained loyal to his workers and has taken the brunt of the criticism, something that Alesi deeply respects.

In that vein, he wants the 52-year-old to acquire more key players to help him out.

“Honestly, I believed it. I thought Leclerc could win at Monza after that crazy lap in qualifying,” said Alesi in his Corriere della Sera column.

“That was not the case and I have some friendly and affectionate thoughts to pass on to Mattia Binotto.

“I admire his righteousness. As a true leader, he protects his men, that’s the right attitude, always.

“Nobody, for example, knows the name of the designer who chose the wrong path at Mercedes, just as anyone who makes a mistake under pressure during a race must be protected.

“As a fan, I am also convinced Binotto can seek, without fuss, some reinforcements for the future. 

“On the strategy front, where a more aggressive approach would perhaps be useful; on the quicker understanding of set-ups, something Red Bull  seem to be doing more readily.

“I’m not talking about revolutions but about consolidation on some decisive aspects to counter first-rate adversaries.

READ: Charles Leclerc unhappy as Max Verstappen posed to seal championship

“On the other hand, I am certain the reliability problems of this year will be resolved and that Ferrari will be able to run with a power unit that is solid as well as powerful.

“There is everything to keep improving. All that is missing are a few tweaks, in the name of continuity.”

In the aforementioned Monza race last weekend, Verstappen won from seventh on the grid ahead of polesitter Leclerc, and he now leads the Monegasque by 116 points in the championship.