Ferrari contradicts: "Technical directive not cause of poor performane"

Mattia Binotto can only conclude that Ferrari are not as well organised as Red Bull Racing at the moment. According to the Italian team boss, the RB18 is a better car in every respect. However, Ferrari are not going to abandon F1-75 and shift their focus to 2023 either.

Red Bull fastest in the field

"The Red Bull is just the better car," Binotto said in an interview with Auto, Motor und Sport. On all counts, the RB18 is currently ahead of the F1-75, according to the team boss. "What worries me the most is that with less downforce than us they were still able to set strong times in the middle sector, where downforce is needed. There was a real difference in performance between us and Red Bull."

That hasn't quite come out of the blue at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The signs were already visible four weeks ago at the Hungaroring, Binotto admits:"Although it was certainly not that bad, it was already noticeable in Hungary - on a completely different circuit that requires a lot of downforce. Red Bull is just faster at the moment."

That the difference with the Austrian racing stable was so staggering in the Ardennes because of the new technical directive introduced by the FIA regarding porpoising is something they contradict in Maranello. "The effects of the technical directive are completely negligible as far as Ferrari is concerned. That is not the answer as to why our performance was so poor."

Ferrari not giving up on 2022

The gap to Verstappen and Red Bull in both world championships is so large that one can question whether Ferrari has any chance at all. Perhaps, like Mercedes, it would be better to shift the focus entirely to 2023. Binotto, however, does not want to go along with that. According to him, everything Ferrari learns about its weaknesses this year will help them develop next year's car.