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“Critical” work on Ferrari 2022 will keep Binotto away from further races · RaceFans


"Critical" work on Ferrari 2022 will keep Binotto away from further races · RaceFans

Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto will miss two more rounds of this year’s championship to prioritize work on the team’s new car for the 2022 F1 season.

Binotto did not take part in the Turkish Grand Prix last weekend, so sporting director Laurent Mekies led the team. This was planned from the beginning of the season, said Binotto, who also missed the Istanbul event last year.

“This was one of the races I was aiming for to be home again,” he said in a video conference from the team base in Maranello. “Of course the calendar changed a lot from the start, so I changed plans too, but Turkey was certainly one of them.

“I’ll skip at least two races before the end of the season. At the moment I am planning Mexico and Brazil. But let’s see, of course. “

The Ferrari team boss has decided to avoid some of the more distant races in order to stay at the factory during the week to oversee work on the successor to the SF21, which is being built according to largely new technical regulations.

“The reason is, as you can imagine, especially Mexico and Brazil overseas, it’s a long journey. There’s a lot to do here in Maranello, really a lot to do.

“There is a whole team to manage, both the chassis and the drive unit and the entire organization,” said Binotto. “And we are certainly in a critical phase with regard to the development in 2022, in which the time is getting closer and closer.

“So I’m happy to be here. From the way I manage the race weekends, certainly on Thursday and Friday in the office, I can certainly focus more on what’s happening here in Maranello, while Saturday and Sunday are entirely dedicated to the race weekend.

“Of course I miss the networks in the paddock, but Laurent Mekies can do a great job and I’m very happy with the way he leads the whole team when I’m not there.”

Binotto also discovered an added benefit of not commuting to Turkey. “I was told that the flight to Istanbul was also very bumpy,” he said, “I am very happy to skip it!”

What is F1’s official tire supplier doing to ensure the sport converts to 18-inch wheels? next year is a success? Find out in the new edition of the RacingLines column that appears on RaceFans today

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