Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has echoed the sentiments of his Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner after claiming he doesn’t see the need for a mid-season technical directive from the FIA for safety reasons.
The 2022 F1 regulatory changes brought with them a return to ground effect in an attempt to improve the quality of racing. This design decision also brought with it porpoising, with cars bottoming out and violently bouncing up and down on their rear suspensions at near top speeds.
This phenomenon became a major safety concern during round eight in Azerbaijan when multiple drivers complained about the potential adverse health implications tied to it.
The FIA swiftly announced a mid-season technical directive to help combat porpoising. This includes raising the floor edges as well as the diffuser throat and could have a major impact on car design for all teams. The governing body also plans to crack down on the flexi-floor design that has been front and center of Red Bull and Ferrari’s designs thus far in 2022. The directive will be in effect when action returns at Spa-Francorchamps following the summer break.
In an extensive interview with motorsport.com’s Italian affiliate, the Ferrari boss was asked to weigh in on the subject. Binotto said:
“I hope there is no change, I see no real reason to make changes to the technical regulations for safety reasons, especially if we watch the last few races. In addition, if the aerodynamic regulations for 2023 were changed it would be a considerable problem considering the time of year we are in, there would be very little time to change the concept of the new car. And, I repeat, there is no reason to introduce changes to the technical regulation on the grounds of safety. So, I don’t think it can happen, and if it happens, we’ll try to figure out how to stop them.”
Ferrari and Red Bull are two of the five teams on the F1 grid that are opposing this mid-season technical directive and will continue to do so leading upto the Belgian GP later this month.
Red Bull ‘fighting a very well-respected competitor’ in Ferrari in 2022 F1 season
Red Bull is battling a “well-respected competitor” in Ferrari this season as opposed to their 2021 tussle with Mercedes, according to Max Verstappen.
The Austrian and Italian outfits have consistently challenged each other for top honors this season, with Christian Horner’s side coming out on top so far.
In an interview with Sky Sports ahead of the 2022 F1 Hungarian GP, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen admitted that he prefers his rival with Ferrari over the battle with Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, citing a generation gap between him and the Briton.
Verstappen also revealed that he is on convivial terms with Charles Leclerc and his former Toro Rosso teammate Carlos Sainz. The Dutchman said:
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“First of all, Charles [Leclerc], I know very well, he’s a nice guy, we are similar age, I think we’re only three weeks apart. And I think also we are fighting a very well-respected competitor in terms of Ferrari, the way they go about, the way we are fighting. When they win a race we can go to them and say well done, and when we win a race they can say well done and I really respect that.”
Verstappen currently has a 80-point lead over Charles Leclerc. So, being amicable may come easier for him than in 2021 when the title battle between him and Lewis Hamilton was much closer and fiercer.
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