The end of an era. Binotto to quit Ferrari at the end of the year

The formula world was shaken by another big news. For several weeks there was speculation about the end of Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto. His departure at the end of 2022 has now been confirmed by the stable and Formula One itself. A successor has not yet been announced.

Binotto has been at the helm of Ferrari since 2019, succeeding Maurizio Arrivabene. However, he has been with the Maranello-based team for much longer. He joined the engine department back in 1995 and has successively held several positions at the Scuderia. In 2016, he was promoted to technical director of the stable.

The Italian engineer’s main task remained winning the world championship title, which Ferrari has been running away with since 2007. Since then, the red stable has come within reach of the trophy several times, but has never mastered the key moments of the season.

This season was proof of that, with all sorts of problems plaguing Ferrari. Whether it was technique or strategy that wasn’t working, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were gradually pulling away from the chance of the biggest success of their racing careers.

Leclerc himself sealed the Maranello stable’s woes with his mistake at the Paul Ricard circuit in France. There, he crashed out of first place and, as he puts it, opened the way for Max Verstappen to take the title. The second half of 2022 brought increasing disappointment to the Tifosi ranks.

Binotto eventually salvaged at least second place in the Constructors’ Cup, with Mercedes making a mighty push. But losing 205 points to first-placed Red Bull cost the 53-year-old Italian his seat.

A memorable line will remain the sentence in which the Ferrari boss spoke of the team being able to win the last ten grand prix of the season. But the red monoblocs have not dominated any of the last ten grand prix.

The list of potential successors is slowly narrowing down to one name. McLaren boss Andreas Seidl and former Ferrari leader Ross Brawn have turned down offers. Red Bull chief Christian Horner is also said to have received an offer.

Ferrari’s current Alfa Romeo CEO Frédéric Vasseur is expected to take over as CEO. One thing is certain. Whoever takes Mattii Binotto’s place, his goal will be to bring the world championship title back to Maranello.

Source: Racingnews 365