Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto had stayed away from a Formula 1 Grand Prix for the second time in a very short time. Although the Italian has long since explained the background to his absence, speculation about a possible exit from the Scuderia persists. Now it should finally have broken.
If you believe the French motorsport portal “Auto hebdo”, Mattia Binotto’s days as team boss of the Ferrari Formula 1 racing team are as good as numbered. Citing sources close to the Maranello headquarters, the signs are pointing to separation after the season.
Ferrari President John Elkann, who had often publicly defended Binotto against criticism, is said to have changed his mind. The racing team was noticed too often this year due to bad racing decisions.
Noisy “car hebdo“It was the British Grand Prix at the beginning of July that made Binotto’s star sink internally at the Scuderia. Although the race in Carlos Sainz was won by a Ferrari driver ahead of Sergio Pérez and Lewis Hamilton, top driver Charles Leclerc came in fourth as one of the big loser because: Ferrari had messed up the pit stop and thus robbed the Monegasque of a possible victory.
Andreas Seidl acted as a possible successor
Speculation is fueled that the 53-year-old will have to vacate his post as team boss after three years, as he was absent from both the Japanese Grand Prix and the Brazilian Grand Prix. In South America, Binotto was recently represented by Laurent Mekies.
Already after the Suzuka race, Binotto, who started as an engine engineer at Ferrari in 1995, justified his absence by saying that he was already working on improvements for the new season and was therefore better off in Maranello. “The 2022 season is ending and the focus is already on 2023,” he explained, adding: “It was a very important season for us, but the next one will be even more important.”
Nevertheless, “Auto hebdo” already brings into play several potential successors for Mattia Binotto, who could take over the management of the team from 2023. On the one hand, Sauber team boss Frédéric Vasseur is mentioned, on the other hand the name of Andreas Seidl is mentioned. The German has been responsible for the McLaren racing team since 2019. The third candidate is the current Ferrari sports director Laurent Mekies.