Here’s Why Fans Are Furious With Ferrari and Mattia Binotto Over Sebastian Vettel’s Contract

Not a lot has been going right with Ferrari in recent times. It’s been a long time since they won their last Constructors’ championship (2008). Since then the Scuderia team hasn’t been able to exert its dominance on the grid. The last decade has been majorly dominated by Mercedes and it looks like it’s going to stay that way.

Nevertheless, despite not being able to consistently beat Mercedes on the track, usually before the start of the season, there’s always a lot of optimism among the Tifosi. However, this season seems to be different, and one of the key reasons for that is Sebastian Vettel.

False statements about prioritizing Sebastian Vettel isn’t going down well with Ferrari fans

Up until the 2nd of July, nobody blamed Ferrari for parting ways with the 4-time world champion. Most reports suggested that Vettel’s demands (regarding salary, status, and contract length) were too high to be matched, and the duo broke-up. However, The German’s revelation to the media yesterday, meant all hell broke loose. (Read: “No Offer on the Table – Sebastian Vettel Reveals Ferrari Exit Wasn’t Mutual).

It only further antagonized the Tifosi against the Maranello-based outfit. If Vettel was never offered a contract in the first place, then why did Ferrari lie to the fans? In fact, it seems like Ferrari have been playing a dangerous double game.

Earlier this year, Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto had claimed that Vettel is the team’s first choice for next year, and had the team’s backing. (Read: Sebastian Vettel opens up on Problems He and Ferrari Faced in 2019). However, that clearly was not the case, since they snapped up Carlos Sainz, only a couple of days after they announced Vettel’s exit. It was later revealed by Sainz himself, that they were in talks with him over the winter.

Despite not winning a championship with Ferrari, Vettel is much loved by the fans of the Maranello-based outfit. So even the manner in which they abruptly told Vettel that he wasn’t needed anymore, has upset the fans.

Plus, after all the drama with Vettel, on hearing that Charles Leclerc expects the team to be in a worse position than they were last year, has left Ferrari fans with a very short fuse. The only way Ferrari can make it up to them is by putting up a good fight on the track. That’s all the Tifosi can expect from the team in 2020, really.