Ferrari F1 Boss Sacrifices 2022 Races For the “Even More Important” Bigger Picture

Suzuka was short on the number of racing laps, but it did not come up short on entertainment and thrill. The frantic and chaotic race night, ended in a victory for Red Bull but disappointments for rivals, Ferrari and Mercedes.

Regardless of the tough conditions, Red Bull and Max Verstappen managed to grab an easy victory. The Dutchman won the race with a 27-second gap.

But to the astonishment of many, bosses, Mattia Binotto, and Toto Wolff, were absent from the pit walls to watch Christian Horner’s exuberance. Both Ferrari and Mercedes teams were led by their deputies instead.

Mattia Binotto has previously skipped races due to the hectic schedules of F1. In such cases, he manages the team from Maranello, the team’s base in Italy. After the race, the Italian said, “The 2022 season is ending and it is right to focus on 2023. I will probably also not be in Mexico. This has been an important season for us, but the next one will be even more important.”

The Italian followed a similar strategy last season as well, when he missed the US and Mexico GPs in light of the 2022 car being at a crucial stage of development.

Wolff on the other hand missed his first race since 2019.

It comes at the back of his previous statement, where he said the hectic schedule required management. He stated, “It is not sustainable for anyone to do 24 races. The drivers have to, but we start on Monday in the office and go through until the end of the week. We need to find a solution, and I think the race team will skip a few races every year in order to survive.”

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Binotto and Wolff’s concerns are very valid, given how stretched recent F1 calendars have been. With advancements in technology, this might become a more regular practice for all teams.

Ferrari felt they were pushed out of their deserved P2 spot at Suzuka

Suzuka gave fans enough chaos and controversy in just 28 laps. Amongst the many battles on the track, a memorable one was for P2.

Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez fought tooth and nail for P2, till the very end. Leclerc managed to come home to the chequered flag first, at least that’s what everyone thought.

But he was penalized for going over the curb and gaining an advantage. The 5 seconds penalty turned out to be fatal for his P2, and consequently, Perez was promoted.

Binotto and Ferrari were unhappy with the penalty. “Was the decision of a five-second penalty right or wrong? In our view, he honestly didn’t gain the advantage. He was ahead, he stayed ahead, he’s got the gap, he kept the same gap. So still arguable, but that is the way they decided, which we will accept,” said Binotto

Leclerc on the other hand had a different view, “I don’t have much to say. I wasn’t aware it was the last lap. A five-second penalty was the right decision, to be honest.”

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The finish at Suzuka probably wasn’t as exciting as Abu Dhabi in 2021, but it did offer enough for everyone. With 4 races remaining for the end of the season, teams will now be looking to experiment with one eye on the next season.