F1 Rumours: Mattia Binotto To Be Replaced As Ferrari Team Principal For 2023 Season
Reports from reputable Italian newspaper, Gazetta, claim Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto will be replaced by Frederic Vasseur from Alfa Romeo in January.
Ferrari have had many strategical mishaps throughout the 2022 season and unfortunately for the team, a lot of these moments have gone viral. For example, the time the team asked Charles Leclerc what he wanted to do during a GP whilst giving their game plan away to the rest of the other teams.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend will be rounding the season off and Ferrari are still fighting to keep second place in the constructor's championship against Mercedes, who are having a last minute improvement in performance.
With all of the strategy issues at Ferrari, many have been putting the blame on team principal Mattia Binotto. Binotto has been in the role since 2019, and this season has been an improvement for the team compared to the last two seasons.
However, the team has always seemed to have lost its way around the middle of the season, which is similar to to this year. Charles Leclerc had a fantastic start to the year but his performance went downhill, mainly with ongoing power unit issues and the strategical errors showing issues back in the garage.
French engineer, Vasseur is reported to take over from Binotto in January. Vasseur has built up a relationship with the Stellantis group management over the years whilst he has been at Alfa Romeo. Vasseur has more of a racing background than Binotto's technical background.
Ferrari have denied the rumours, saying:
"In relation to the speculations that appeared in some press organs regarding the position of the Team Principal of the Scuderia, Mattia Binotto, Ferrari announces that these are rumors totally without of foundation".