Mattia Binotto Explains Decision to Miss Races for Ferrari in 2021 F1 Season

Some F1 matters are being approached differently for 2021 at Scuderia Ferrari, and team structure is one of them. It was recently reported that team principal Mattia Binotto would spend a few races away from the traveling pack to invest time in Maranello in 2021.

In his stead, senior personnel Laurent Mekies and Inaki Rueda would handle the day-to-day operations on the racetrack. Ferrari hence want to make the best use of Binotto’s ability on developing the team’s 2022 project.

Speaking in an interview, Binotto revealed why he would be missing F1 races in the upcoming campaign. Naturally, the role of a team principal in the modern-day requires the person to take up more responsibilities than just race-day management.

Lot of things going on back at Maranello, said Binotto

Binotto explained and said, “Last year, I missed some races because in the end, there is an entire company to manage and it’s not only the race weekend at the race track. There are a lot of things going on back at Maranello, a lot of people to manage, co-ordinate, and the activity itself.”

Mekies had become the stand-in team principal for Ferrari back in the 2020 season. Despite Binotto’s absence at three Grand Prix weekends, Mekies’ management skills came to the fore and the team even won a Turkish GP podium during that time.

Binotto continued, “So, my intention will be again not to be at all the races in the 2021 season. Certainly I will be part of the start of the season itself. But, at some stage, I will start missing some races and being back at Maranello concentrated on 2022.”

Ferrari have expectations to bounce back in 2021

Following their miserable 2020 campaign, the mood in the Italian motorsport giants’ camp was distraught. Achieving just the two podiums, finishing sixth in the standings was never going to be enough.

The new power unit, however, promises at least a notch of improvement. Ferrari’s primary objective hence would be to put together a package that suits both Leclerc and Sainz.

Overall then, a few minor tweaks are afoot at Ferrari, with the overall aim to better their 2020 performance. Whether Binotto’s time invested can pay dividends is only something that time will gradually tell.

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