Many sports have divisive figures, capable of splitting public opinion over their qualities. In Formula 1, one such figure is undoubtedly Mattia Binotto. The former Team Principal and Technical Director of the Prancing Horse returned to motorsport’s top category after his lengthy Ferrari spell to lead the Audi F1 project. A role that demonstrates the esteem in which the German giant holds him, despite the fact that his time at the helm of the Scuderia will not go down in history. Behind the guise of a resignation, announced on 29 November 2022, lay his removal from the roles he had held since 2019 by the senior management of the historic Modena-based team. A wound that remains open for the Lausanne-born manager.
Reckoning with the past proves disorienting
Interviewed by L’Équipe last March, the former head of the Prancing Horse’s GES responded as eloquently as he did heatedly when asked whether his benchmark for taking Audi to victory was Maranello: "Why should I do that? They haven’t won anything since 2008. I want Audi to win." An undeniable truth. The pity is that he himself was one of the protagonists in the long run of failures that has yet to end and risks surpassing the one between Jody Scheckter’s 1979 title and Michael Schumacher’s liberating triumph at Suzuka in 2000. Audi are navigating their first Formula 1 season with dignity, one that has coincided with the greatest technical revolution in the category’s history. The four-ring brand is a complex operation, spread across three technological hubs:
- Hinwil, Sauber’s historic headquarters, converted into the main operational and design base for the chassis and car development
- Neuburg an der Donau, a facility entirely dedicated to the design, construction and development of the hybrid power unit
- Bicester, a technology hub positioned to attract the best engineering talent and foster partnerships with leading specialists in the sector’s supply chain
When the Ferrari benchmark suits him
In a recent interview with RacingNews365, the Italian-Swiss executive admitted that the current gap between Audi and the top teams is the result of a clear difference in infrastructure, a legacy of a recent past marked by modest ambitions at Sauber. According to Binotto, the workforce will have to expand and expansion plans assessed. According to the German team’s CEO and Team Principal, Audi are now in a position very similar to that of Ferrari in 1995. At the time, the historic Italian team launched a major restructuring programme that led to the centralisation of all processes at the Maranello plant, following John Barnard’s failed return. From the following season, the biggest recruitment drive of technical staff between teams was implemented, when Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne – to name only the leading figures – followed Michael Schumacher after winning everything with Benetton. That said, Binotto’s suggestion does not stand up. That Ferrari was not a title-contending team, but on several occasions it was able to challenge for victory despite not having the best driver on the grid and with reliability still a pipe dream. Beyond Jean Alesi’s fortunate victory in Canada, the 412T2 could easily have won other Grands Prix. A level of competitiveness that risks remaining a mirage for Audi for a few more years. If Ferrari are not a model of success, why should they be one – improperly – in defeat?
Updated F1 drivers' and constructors' standings
