Binotto: Ferrari weakness in Melbourne 'must remain an exception'

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Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto is determined to get to the bottom of the relative weakness displayed by the Italian outfit in Melbourne, insisting its disappointing performance must remain an exception.

The Scuderia's pre-season form in Barcelona was seen as a harbinger of its strength ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, but from Friday to Sunday, the red cars were never a threat to Mercedes around Albert Park.

Both Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc complained of balance issues throughout the weekend, comments that led Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to believe that Ferrari had simply missed "the sweet spot" on its SF90.

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"Conditions [in Melbourne] are certainly different to Barcelona: smooth to bumpy, quite a lot windier as well, different, higher temperatures and weather conditions," said Binotto.

"There are certainly external factors that may have impacted or influence the performance of our car.

"But as Toto said, apparently he’s well-aware, we didn’t find the right window – if we can call it a window – or the right balance of the car.

"It’s something we need to try to understand. One thing we are certain of is it’s not the real potential of our car.

"We are pretty sure the potential is certainly bigger and we have not been able to exploit it all through the weekend."

Binotto said the Scuderia would conduct its due diligence on its issues back at Maranello and make sure that Melbourne would remain a one-off under-performance for Ferrari.

"You’re always hoping to address and improve the situation through the weekend when you’ve got some issues with balance and the set-up," he said.

"It didn’t happen. We need to bring all the data back home and try to analyse it.

"That has to remain an exception all through the season. But I think it will be a good lesson learned.

"If we may identify where the issue was, we can be back even more stronger."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.