“Ferrari announces that it has accepted the resignation of Mattia Binotto who, on December 31, will leave his duties as the team’s Principal Team,” explains Ferrari. The 53-year-old Italian, in the position since the 2019 season, thus pays for his failure to recapture the world title despite a much-improved car in 2022.
As head of sports management, Binotto achieved his best result this season, 2nd in the drivers’ championship, with Charles Leclerc from Monegasque, and 2nd in the constructors’ championship. But he failed again in his attempt to lead Ferrari to the top against Red Bull and the Dutchman Max Verstappen, world champions.
Reaffirmed in his position in September by John Elkann, president of the Ferrari company, the Gazzetta dello Sport already reported his possible departure in mid-November. On Friday, other headlines in the Italian press had announced it, before becoming official on Tuesday.
“We want to thank Mattia for his many essential contributions over the last 28 years at Ferrari, in particular what he has done to allow the team to be competitive again in the season that has just ended,” said Benedetto Vigna, Ferrari Group General Manager. , quoted in a statement.
“I am leaving a united team that has grown, a strong and prepared team, I am sure, to obtain the greatest possible successes. I believe that this decision is the right one, even if it has been difficult to make,” Binotto said.
On his successor, the team only indicated that “the process to identify a new ‘main team’ has begun and should end early next year.”