Mattia Binotto speaks about Ferrari again
How long does it take to truly put behind a 28-year-old love? Probably a bit more than three Formula 1 seasons, at least in the case of the former technical director and team principal – and a thousand other things before then – of Ferrari, Mattia Binotto. The engineer from Reggio Emilia has now happily settled at Audi, a major manufacturer that bought, took over the facilities, and recently renamed Sauber. And which, under the guidance of the 56-year-old Italian, is enjoying a surprising debut that saw Gabriel Bortoleto immediately able to achieve a historic points finish. Yet, the thought of the Scuderia and what could have been and wasn’t, might still be anchored in some remote corner of the former boss’s mind.
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The interview with L’Equipe
This is at least the message that might come across at first glance reading the words Mattia Binotto speaks about Ferrari in the interview given to the French sports newspaper L’Equipe. The first occasion comes when comparing the working method of his Audi with that of the Maranello team: “My role here is not more difficult, but it is different and above all the culture changes, which is not Latin. At Ferrari, processes didn’t exist, you just tried. There was no need for a plan to reach the goal, while at Audi, with a more German, more Swiss culture, first of all there are plans. Without a plan, you don’t act”.
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Then again, without mincing words, Mattia Binotto responds like this when asked if the goal is to make Audi a superpower like Ferrari: “Why should I do that? They haven’t won anything since 2008. I want Audi to win”, the Italian engineer replies after a long smile. “Before leaving the Scuderia – he explains – I saw things. This allowed me to make comparisons, but you can’t change things in a day. I am very happy to see how the team works, but as far as the engine is concerned, I am aware that we won’t be the best in 2026”. Finally, the goals of the House of the Rings in F1: “The plan is three years to build and two to consolidate and get to fighting for the title. We therefore have at least fifty-seven projects with well-defined mandatory stages”.
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