Here you can find a part of the interview that Mattia Binotto gave to F1.com. He talks about Sebastian Vettel's future, the drivers harmony inside the team and the SF1000.
Enjoy the reading!
The contract renewal
Sebastian is the first Ferrari choice. Binotto revealed they have begun talks about a renewal – and it seems we may not have to wait too long for a final outcome. “We have started discussing a new deal,” he said. “It’s important we address it quite soon. It’s not something we will leave until the end of the season. It’s important for him and for ourselves to get clarity as soon as we can. Discussions are ongoing, and hopefully that will be done soon."
“He’s in a very good shape. I think he’s focused. He knows he needs to do well. It’s a key moment of his career, because whatever he may do at the start of the season will be important for his renewal. It’s in his hands. So I think he’s very motivated. Last year was important for him. Charles' performance took him by surprise. It’s not the case anymore, he knows where the benchmark and he knows what he needs to do, so I think he has prepared himself very well through the winter. He spent last year trying to understand what went wrong and making sure he does better this year.”
Drivers harmony inside the team
“What happened last year was important for both of them,” he said. “We discussed and had some clarity as to what I’m expecting. The team interest is the top priority, and the constructors’ championship is a key element. They are free to race, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still apply team orders in the interests of the team. But if the team is doing well, the drivers get the benefit of it."
“They are two smart and clever guys, they are getting to know each other better. What happened last year, not only in Brazil, but also in Russia when we tried to manage team orders. These situations gave us the opportunity to discuss and when you discuss in a transparent way, you get to know each other better. I think we have built more trust and confidence between us as a team, between the drivers, and that will be helpful in 2020.”
The SF1000
“We have been a lot faster through the corners compared to last year,” he said. “So the car is doing what we are expecting, being faster in the corners, but we’re slower on the straights. I think we believe that having more downforce should help us not only on a single lap but also in the race, like in tyre management and tyre wear. If I think of the race simulations we did, compared to single laps performance, we have been stronger on the longer stints. That’s the benefit of more downforce.”
Binotto reckons this year's challenger - the SF1000 - should be more suited to him.
“I think so [it should be more suited to Vettel], at least from the first indications of Barcelona," he says. "Having said that, one of the best skills of the great drivers is to be able to adapt to the car you have available and to get the most out of it. For our part, we must try to help them achieve this, which we do with both drivers."
Source: F1
Article: Sebforever587
Images: credits to F1
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