“Over-discussed, over-analyzed,” Mattia Binotto gives his two cents on Abu Dhabi GP controversy


“Over-discussed, over-analyzed,” Mattia Binotto gives his two cents on Abu Dhabi GP controversy

Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton battling it out at the Abu Dhabi GP

Scuderia Ferrari launched their F1-75 challenger on February 17 earlier this week through a medium of a digital launch.

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After the launch of the Italian-based racing team’s new car for 2022, team principal Mattia Binotto was asked about his thoughts regarding the controversial results surrounding the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix of 2021.

What happened at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen after the end of the race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen after the end of the race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

After a head-to-head season with each other, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton entered the last race of the season, the Abu Dhabi GP with 369.5 points each. The title could only be claimed by one of them and this was one of the most awaited Formula One races in Formula One history. The race started with Hamilton dominating everyone else on the grid for the first 57 laps and leading the race until Williams Racing’s Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi crashed. This crash led to the employment of a safety car situation where all the cars were made to slow down and further on the cars between Hamilton and Verstappen were allowed to unlap themselves by former Formula One race director Michael Masi.

Verstappen took advantage of this decision and was able to attack Hamilton in the last lap and then go on to clinch his maiden title. It was this decision of Masi that garnered worldwide controversies and a lot of tension on the grid itself which ended with Masi getting replaced as the race director earlier this week.

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“Over-discussed and over-analyzed”: Binotto

Scuderia Ferrari's team principal Mattia Binotto
Scuderia Ferrari’s team principal Mattia Binotto

Team Principal Mattia Binotto was noticed saying, “What has been stated is something we were fully aware of because we discussed this at the F1 Commission and because I am part of the World  Council as the F1 Commission representative.”

“So it is not a surprise to us at all, something that has been fully analyzed and discussed with the other teams and team principals.

“I think what happened in Abu Dhabi has been over-discussed, over-analyzed for weeks and months and I think the fact that it took so long shows the complexity of the matter, there is nothing obvious.

“What happened there, I think the fact there is such complexity and it is very difficult to say anything was made wrong, right, any mistakes or not and certainly when you are taking such a decision, you are always under a lot of pressure in the heat of the action and that I think is true for the FIA, is true for the teams and is true for whoever is working in that difficult environment because the pressure is certainly very, very high,” he added.

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“The communications from team to race director doesn’t help so I think it was not an obvious situation and a difficult decision to take.

The Swiss-born team principal also added, “Then I think we all need to fully trust the FIA for its independence and its capacity to take the right decision to move forward, and in that respect, we can only support it.”

“So as Ferrari, we support the decision of its new chairman and the entire FIA and we certainly will continue to collaborate for a better and improved future for our racing.”

Also Read: I’m looking for full independence in the decisions, ” Ferrari’s Mattia Binotto extends support to FIA’s changes.

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