Ferrari has declared that Mattia Binotto is to leave his situation as Ferrari Group Head toward the year’s end, stopping a long time of hypothesis.
Prior to the 2019 season, Binotto assumed his current position, which encompasses the Gestione Sportiva department, after initially joining the team as an engine engineer in 1995.
After challenging seasons in 2020 and 2021, Ferrari capitalized on the introduction of F1’s brand-new regulations to emerge as a front-running force, winning the 2022 inaugural race in Bahrain with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz for a one-two finish.
However, despite some additional early-season success, Leclerc and Ferrari’s title challenges were derailed by the relentlessness of their rival Red Bull, and a combination of unreliability, strategy blunders, and driver errors.
Ferrari denied the initial Italian media reports of a structural change, but after the season’s conclusion in Abu Dhabi, more rumors surfaced, and on Tuesday morning, the Scuderia issued a statement to confirm that Binotto had resigned.
“The process is underway to identify Scuderia Ferrari’s new Team Principal and is expected to be finalized in the new year,” the team continued.
Binotto stated, “I have decided to conclude my collaboration with Ferrari with the regret that this entails.”
“With the assurance that I have made every effort to achieve the goals that were set, I am leaving a company that I love and have been a part of for 28 years.
I leave a team that is growing and united.
A solid group that, I’m sure, is prepared to achieve the highest objectives, and I wish them the best for the future. Given how difficult this decision has been for me, I believe it is appropriate to take this step at this time.
“I would like to express my gratitude to everyone at the Gestione Sportiva who has shared this journey with me, which has been filled with both difficulties and great satisfaction,”
Ferrari President Benedetto Vigna added: “I would like to express my gratitude to Mattia for the numerous outstanding contributions he has made throughout his 28 years with Ferrari, particularly for bringing the team back to a position of competitiveness this past year.
“As a result, we are in a strong position to renew our challenge to win the ultimate prize in motorsport, especially for our incredible fans worldwide.
“Mattia has our best wishes for the future from everyone at the Scuderia and the Ferrari community as a whole.”