Formula 1 frustration at Scuderia: Ferrari a shadow of itself

Stand: 20.07.2020 | Reading time: 3 minutes

Dhe record after three races of the season is rather sobering and frustrating for Ferrari. Because two things are too obvious: Lewis Hamilton is headed for a record crown without any major opponents. And Ferrari is just a shadow of itself.

It’ll go on in just under two weeks, and then Lewis Hamilton’s actual festival comes with two races in a row at Silverstone. It seems hopeless that anything could change in the balance of power. At the start in Spielberg with fourth place, Hamilton was not quite there yet, he already had his own race at the second Grand Prix in Austria. It was repeated in Budapest on Sunday. Victory number 86 after pole number 90. Title number seven will hardly be taken from the British in this form.

Hamilton is the absolute benchmark by which Red Bull can at least still orientate itself. But Ferrari, not even a second force in Formula 1, threatens to break. With Sebastian Vettel’s sixth place and eleventh place outside of Charles Leclerc’s points, the Scuderia remained below expectations and own expectations in the third race of the Corona emergency season.

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The traditional racing team from Maranello is miles away from a challenger of defending champion Hamilton and his Mercedes team.

Binotto is now putting everyone to the test

Team boss Mattia Binotto was probably not aware of the symbolic character of the video press conference in a small room in the Ferrari motor home. He took a seat on a red chair and rolled back and forth – he was sitting with his back to the wall. Lapped drivers, a humiliated team, immeasurably disappointed Tifosi – and he is responsible.

Binotto is now putting everyone to the test at Ferrari. The not-uncontroversial racing team boss said after Scuderia’s disappointing appearance at the Hungarian Grand Prix by lapping both drivers: “Everyone will have to analyze their work and have the courage to change course if necessary, because that current dynamics are not acceptable. ”

The 50-year-old did not explain exactly what he meant by this. Instead, Binotto added unequivocally: “There is no other solution to get this situation under control.”

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Binotto spoke of an “extremely disappointing Sunday and a result that is difficult to swallow”. Above all, Hamilton’s laps “hurt us and the fans very much,” Binotto stated. However, as team manager, he is also largely responsible for Ferrari’s miserable performance so far this year in terms of goals.

He has been Ferrari team manager since January 2019. The mechanical engineer then replaced the former cigarette manager Maurizio Arrivabene and was to lead the Scuderia to the first driver title since 2007 (Kimi Raikkonen). In 2020 Leclerc and Vettel are currently ranked 7th and 10th in the world championship. Ferrari is fifth in the team classification and therefore gray mediocrity: a team boss with his back to the wall.