Binotto: Leaving Saudi Arabia 'not the right choice'

Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto says that leaving Saudi Arabia in the wake of yesterday's nearby missile attack in Jeddah "would not have been the right choice.

After fending off a global pandemic, dealing with the consequences of the war in Ukraine, F1 was dealt another challenge on Friday when Yemen's Houthi rebels lobbed a missile on to an oil storage facility owned by F1 partner Saudi Aramaco and located just 10 km from the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

Two meetings on Friday with the F1's top brass and the FIA served the purpose of convincing the sport's teams that safety around the track had been heightened, which led to F1 boss Stefano Domenicali declaring that F1's teams supported the decision to keep the weekend going.

But late on Friday evening, F1's drivers took the matter in their own hands, with several individuals feeling anything but secure at the track.

More discussions ensued, with senior members of F1 and team bosses doing their best to alleviate the drivers' fears and ward off the threat of a boycott.

But it has also been suggested that a fair amount of pressure was applied to the group to bring everyone in line with F1's interests.

Binotto did not deny or confirm that the FIA, F1 or the teams had put the squeeze on the drivers.

"I don’t think that’s the point," he said when queried on the matter in Saturday's team principal's presser.

"The drivers met together. Certainly, there were concerns, after the facts of yesterday no doubt all of us were concerned because this is not a normal thing that’s happening just close to the circuit.

"Concerns need to be translated into consideration and discussions.

"We as a team and myself as the team principal had assurances from F1, the Saudi authorities and security agencies that everything would be safe and under control.

"That needed to be explained to the drivers and the situation makes them understand that as a matter of fact, we’re safe and secure.

"We had long discussions which are important to have, they simply understood and supported that it’s important to stay and remain and to continue the weekend and drive here in Saudi for the weekend.

"Leaving the country would have simply not been the right choice. There were no right reasons to leave the country after all the assurances we got.

"They met, they have their own concerns, they raised them, all together, we tried to get the assurance and the right explanation for them as well."

• Read also: F1 chiefs and team bosses ward off boycott threat in Jeddah

The drivers debated a boycott for several hours, joined at one point by their team bosses.

Asked why the drivers took so long to arrive at a conclusion reached in short order by the teams earlier in the evening, Binotto explained what the group was thinking.

"Because there are 20 drivers, they have their own single opinions, it’s important for them to have a chat between them, try to raise the right questions," he said.

"I think they had long and positive discussions. Those guys have a voice, they’re the drivers and the stars of our sport, and I think their voices are important ones.

"As Ferrari team principal, I believe it’s important to listen to them as it as well to explain the situation and considerations and what we believe is right.

"And while they’re the stars, as team principals, we’ve got the duty and it’s our role to try to explain the considerations, so they can have their own proper arguments and conclusions."

McLaren boss Andreas Seidl also underscored the weight carried by the drivers' views.

"Our drivers are the heroes of the sport, it’s important that they have a strong voice for what is right for the sport and therefore makes absolute sense that they have this discussion between them," he said.

"At the same time, it was important to also share our different views on what happened yesterday.

"In the end, we all came to the same conclusion that it is the right thing to continue with the weekend after we got assurances that we’re safe here.

"Let’s not forget it’s not just about drivers or team principals here, it’s about 2000 members of the F1 paddock here.

"We had to make the right decision together with the FIA and F1 for all of us."

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