“It is not a decision for him to make” – Mattia Binotto dodges question over his position as team principal of Scuderia Ferrari

Mattia Binotto has been non-commital over stay at Ferrari as team principal next year

Mattia Binotto became the team principal of Scuderia Ferrari at the start of 2019, and in this period of four years, the Italian has helped the Scuderia to bounce back from its nightmare 2020 season and put a fight for the championship in 2022. However, after the failure of the team to convert the contention into a win, rumors have spread over Binotto’s exit from the Italian squad in favor of current Alfa Romeo team principal Frederic Vasseur.

Recently renowned F1 journalist, Thomas Maher asked Mattia regarding the confirmation of the 53-year-old’s position in Ferrari for next year, Binotto, however, dodged the question and gave a vague answer about him being “relaxed” as “it is not a decision for him to make.” A clever way of avoiding the controversy but not clarifying the uncertainty which does not help in stopping rumors in the paddock, which have only increased in the past week.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=7UPDLJqgP38

Mattia Binotto has prevented public outbursts by his drivers, in a bid to save the image of the Scuderia

Earlier the team issued a statement over the rumors of ousting Binotto and calling it “totally without foundation.” After a dismal latter half of the season for Ferrari, it seems that the 53-year-old will be ousted by the most successful team in the sport, with Frederic Vasseur being the agreed-upon choice. Vasseur also has a personal bond with Charles Leclerc as his team boss during the Monegasque’s time at the Sauber F1 team in 2018.

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Has time run out for Mattia Binotto at Maranello?

Binotto and Vasseur have had a good relationship in the paddock because of the Ferrari-Alfa Romeo connection

Binotto is a veteran Ferrari team member, who contributed to the Scuderia’s record-breaking success with Michael Schumacher in the early 2000s. The 53-year-old spent time as the Chief Technical Officer of the team during Sebastian Vettel’s failed title fights against Lewis Hamilton in 2017 and 2018. Post-FIA’s crackdown on Ferrari’s engine flows, Binotto carried the team into a phase of rebuilding in the last two years, leading to the team’s competitiveness in 2022.

Just asked Mattia Binotto about whether he can confirm he'll stay as Ferrari team boss in 2023. Very much a non-committal answer, with Binotto saying "he is relaxed" and that "it is not a decision for him to make"… #F1 #AbuDhabiGP
— Thomas Maher (@thomasmaheronf1) November 19, 2022

Alas, this season exposed major shortcomings at Maranello, ranging from dismal strategic calls to reliability issues and even driver mistakes. On all counts, it was the team principal who stood up and took the blame, something which was unusual compared to Ferrari’s old culture of the blame game. This may have worked in keeping the team’s morale high but it could not help the team in the standings, with the team falling behind Red Bull mid-season.

It can be argued that Mattia Binotto’s style has worked well within the team and could deliver the dream of the Scuderia’s first championship win since 2008 but the board of the Italian giant does not have enough patience to hold on for longer. As such bringing Vasseur may help address the team’s shortcomings but will it give Ferrari the much-needed push which can get them the wins and championships? That is something only time will tell, and if Binotto is actually replaced in the first place. For now, the Italian stays as team principal for Ferrari at least at the final round of the season in Abu Dhabi.