F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Binotto rues missed opportunity for Ferrari at Spa

Mattia Binotto regrets that Spa's inclement weather had denied Ferrari an opportunity to perform in a race in which "anything could have happened".

Like his colleagues, the Scuderia boss could only speculate on how his team would have fared in the Belgian Grand Prix had the event been given the green light.

And yet the Italian outfit's performance in qualifying on Saturday, when Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both missed out on the final shootout, did not augur for a particularly strong afternoon.

Both drivers received points however for their meager efforts on Sunday, having been bumped up in the final one-lap classification thanks to the demotions of Valtteri Bottas and Lando Norris, and to Sergio Perez crashing on his way to the grid earlier in the day.

©Ferrari

"Our weekend had not gone particularly well, but it's a shame that we never got to see how things might have gone in a race where anything could have happened," Binotto told the media at Spa.

"Now we must concentrate on the next race in Zandvoort, a historic circuit which makes its return to the championship calendar after a very long absence."

While Binotto rued a missed opportunity for Ferrari to perform at Spa, the Swiss supported race control's decision not to race.

"I'd like to thank all the spectators who stayed to the very end at the track, hoping to see what should have been an uncertain and spectacular race," he added.

"The Race Director did everything he could to try and get the Grand Prix underway, but conditions were never good enough to do so without jeopardising the safety of the drivers and those working trackside.

"The final result was thus determined from the starting grid positions, which means we come away with two points finishes."

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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.

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