Binotto to focus only on team boss role amid Ferrari changes

Mattia Binotto is now free to focus exclusively on his organizational role at the helm of the Scuderia, having relinquished his responsibilities with Ferrari's technical department amid the team's recent restructuring.

Binotto's nomination as team principal of the Scuderia at the start of the 2019 season did not imply at the time a step back from his role as technical director of the Italian outfit.

But the cumulation of responsibilities and tasks was a heavy burden on the Swiss engineer which, coupled with Ferrari's painful under-performance at the start of the 2020 season, has led to a restructuring at Maranello.

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"It took some time to organise ourselves, to make sure the technical department was reorganized. It’s not something you do in one day," said Binotto, commenting on the changes.

"I am able, now that we've got people in the right role, having responsibilities and able to do the right job, to not do any more of the technical director job. There are other people doing it.

"They've got clear objectives. I think they are certainly as well enthusiastic and focusing on the objectives they need to achieve.

“On my side there are a lot of things I need to do. Certainly keeping an eye and keeping them in the right position to deliver."

Binotto's future with Ferrari was seen at risk on the back of the team's significant performance shortfall. But the Scuderia's top man recently received the full backing of Ferrari chairman John Elkann.

The latter cast a downbeat outlook on the Italian outfit's immediate future, insisting there would be no turnaround until 2022. But for Elkann, Binotto remains the right man to steer Ferrari into a new winning cycle.

"It’s certainly difficult, but it is as well an honour, we should not forget that," Binotto told Britain's Channel 4.

"I think if you look back, we have had competitive seasons. We are not competitive at all today, but I’m pretty sure we can reverse it in the future.

"It’s important having the support of the board members, of our chairman, our CEO. I think we are sharing the same vision, the same objectives.

"We know that we need some patience. There are no silver bullets so we are just trying to reinforce the team."

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