Former F1 team principal Colin Kolles believes Mattia Binotto is a good engineer but not a team principal. Kolles went on to add that an engineer isn’t suited to taking up the role of a team principal. Kolles’ harsh words come amidst growing impatience and unrest among Ferrari fans.
‘Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari’. A title no less than an honor in the F1 world, but one that carries more pressure than prestige. With Ferrari’s title drought unlikely to end anytime soon, team principal Mattia Binotto is definitely feeling the heat.
Is Binotto to blame for the problems at Ferrari?
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Several experts have weighed in on possible reasons behind Binotto’s struggles. Some say it’s the lack of support that was present during Ferrari’s glory days in the early 2000s. Back when the Italian team could consistently win races, Ferrari had an unstoppable dream team of a god-tier driver and a monster pit wall.
Binotto’s path to the Ferrari peak has been a long journey. One that began with a technical role over 2 decades ago. While he’s no longer involved in the technical side of things, Kolles believes the Italian’s engineering skills don’t translate to leadership skills.
“Binotto is a very good engineer, but an engineer is not a team boss. From my point of view, an engineer cannot be a team boss either” said Kolles, as quoted by Sport1. (translated by Google)
“I know Binotto personally. He is a person who is shaped by numbers and not by feelings. There is no warmth. These technicians do not understand the psychological side.”
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Mattia Binotto has hands full in dealing with a number of issues at Ferrari. An unhappy driver, an uncompetitive car, and a pit wall whose strategies appear second rate at best when compared to the likes of Mercedes.
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Ever since he took charge, Ferrari’s unfortunately been on a seemingly never-ending fall. From challenging for wins and podiums, Ferrari’s officially joined F1’s midfield in 2020. By the looks of things, it’s unlikely for the prancing horse to gallop to the top step of the podium any time soon.
The Tifosi, while passionate, can be ruthless when the results disappear. Hopefully, Binotto can revive the team sooner, rather than later.