Should Mattia Binotto leave the head of Scuderia Ferrari?

Facts : After the strategic slumps of Monaco and Silverstone, the Team made a fool of herself again in Hungary by finishing off the podium while Leclerc comfortably led the race at mid-distance. In view of the public reactions off the mark by Mattia Binotto, the question of the legitimacy of maintaining his position is now on the table…

YES, by DORIAN GRANGIER

Dear supporters of Ferrari, Dear fans. This summer break must do you a lot of good, and I understand you. For a few weekends, you can enjoy the absence of the Grand Prix, the stress goes away as does the pain that you encounter too often this season. Since March, every Sunday has been a test for any good Scuderia fan. And the identity of the person responsible is clear: Mattia Binotto.

Arriving at the head of Scuderia Ferrari in 2019, the Italian engineer is at the center of criticism this season, and that is right. For the first time in 4 years, the car of Maranello has the potential to play for the title… and yet, the Reds are threatened by Mercedes for 2nd place among manufacturers. No better on the drivers' side: Leclerc is already relegated to 80 points behind Verstappen. If Binotto is held responsible for this potential failure, it is because the reasons are multiple. From the outside, the native of Lausanne seems incapable of managing either his team or the pressure. Is it normal that most of Ferrari's strategies fail? Is it normal to not even be able to watch the last laps of a Grand Prix acquired for Leclerc at Silverstone, under the pretext of stress caused by a problem with the Monegasque's car?

At Binotto, as at Ferrari in general, it is fear that drives the team. Likewise, the, let's say it, disastrous communication from the Italian director is enough to drive people crazy. fans. To say that in Hungary, the F1-75 was not efficient is a lie, all to cover up a new lame strategy. Mattia Binotto may be an excellent engineer with a proven track record, but he does not have the leadership qualities of a team manager. Simply saying that Ferrari is not playing the championship to protect itself, when the car is entirely capable of doing so, is ludicrous. If nothing changes, Ferrari could first lose its credibility, but also elements, Charles Leclerc in the first place. We need new blood at Ferrari. The solution might come from someone outside the Scuderia, to instill a new philosophy and recover a title that has eluded them since 2008. The last time a director was not Italian at Maranello was Jean Todt, with all the success that we know him to be. So, all that remains is to say one thing: arrivederci Mattia!

NO, by Jérémy SATIS

On this point, it is obvious that acting as Mattia Binotto's lawyer is a particularly perilous exercise. Making mistakes happens, it's even what makes you move forward, provided you take them into account and learn lessons, which does not seem to be the case for the Scuderia. We won't criticize the reliability too much, the regulations are brand new and engine problems affected almost all the teams. There are two major problems. Strategy, first. Monaco must have been an accident, Silverstone was ultimately the pinnacle of incompetence, while Hungary was confirmation of a real concern on this level. The other concern is communication.

Binotto is a kid from the Scuderia, he knows it by heart. Perhaps he managed crises the old-fashioned way, by protecting Ferrari as much as possible in the media. The world has changed, and making amends has become the only way to come out on top from a bottom. He spends his time repeating that no one is above Ferrari, while neither Leclerc nor Sainz have not once acted in this direction. The credit of the Italian born in Lausanne has eroded somewhat, we will not say the contrary, but he still has the possibility of regaining control. The winter break is coming at just the right time. There will be changes to be made. This will require difficult decision-making, because if nothing changes, the scenarios of the first part of the season will be repeated from September.

© DPPI

Finally, let's not forget, the performance of the F1-75 have obscured it, but the Scuderia is coming out of two years in hell, where it lost the thread and the thrill of the high struggles, and oiling such a big machine again can take time. The team is rebuilding. This doesn't excuse everything, but it can explain some beginner mistakes. Provided they are not repeated again, once again. If he does not want to experience the same fate as his predecessor Maurizio Arrivabene, Mattia will have to take control again and quickly. This will start by supporting its drivers in all circumstances, and stopping taking us for hams by saying that the Hungarian Grand Prix was not winnable on pure performance.