Binotto: "This is not a rule change, we had this in Budapest too"

Ferrari dropped out of the Dutch Grand Prix as the main challenger to Max Verstappen. According to team principal Mattia Binotto, the team's disappointing pace in the last two races has nothing to do with the rule changes that came into effect in Belgium.

Binotto rejects speculation

During the race weekend in Spa-Francorchamps, the so called 'TD039' instituted by the FIA came into force. The FIA decided to intervene with some rule changes in order to combat 'porpoising' by F1 teams. The technical directive included changes to the ride height requirements of F1 cars. The fact that Ferrari was completely annihilated by Red Bull in Belgium (especially by Verstappen) and lost to Mercedes driver George Russell in the Netherlands, suggests that the Italian team is troubled by the new rules.

Binotto tells the Italian Corriere della Sera However, the 'TD' has nothing to do with it. That does not sound positive because Ferrari apparently does not yet have an explanation for the disappointing pace. Binotto: "We have to find out if these problems are the result of our set-up choices or if they are the result of the latest developments. We did not get into trouble because of 'the directive' itself; its effects are negligible. We had the same situation in Budapest when the directive was not yet in force. Whatever tyres we used, we were not fast."