Elkann: Ferrari wants to “win again in 2022”

His word is rare. Therefore, it is all the more precious. John Elkann gives very few interviews, but that is precisely what he has just done with the Gazzetta dello Sport. In a catastrophic context for the Scuderia, it could have been an opportunity to announce the departure of Mattia Binotto, as was often the case in the recent past. But on the contrary, the heir of the Agnelli family seized the opportunity to reaffirm his confidence in his director: Mattia Binotto, who took the helm of the Scuderia a year ago, has all the skills and qualities to start a new cycle of victories. He was with Ferrari with (Jean) Todt and (Michael) Schumacher. He knows how to win and, starting next year, he will work with two young drivers who are as ambitious as we are.

Like what was stated in the announcement of the addition of a new performance department in Maranello, it’s indeed a new cycle being discussed. But the Italian leaders seem to be positioning themselves for the long haul to regain their past success: « A long road awaits us. When Todt started this historic cycle in 2000, we had been waiting for 20 years, since 1979. It took time between his arrival in 1993 and the return to victory. »

Ferrari seems to have finally understood that dismissing leaders after just a few months didn’t provide a solution and that a culture of fear didn’t make the car go any faster: « The most important thing is to work on and off the track, to bring cohesion and stability, to build the Ferrari we want step by step. » To do this, they have substantial resources and two young drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, signed for the long term.

If the competitiveness of the drivers is not in question (it should be noted that Fernando Alonso and then Sebastian Vettel were unable to renew their past titles with the Scuderia), it’s the whole car that is simply not at the level of the competition: « We have had a series of weaknesses for many years on aerodynamics and the chassis. We have also lost engine power. The reality is that our car is not competitive. You have seen it on the track and you will see it again. »

To the point where the leader has not only already written off the current season but also 2021: « Today, we are laying the foundations to be competitive and start winning again with the regulatory changes in 2022. I am convinced of it. » If he has little hope for the next season, it’s because Ferrari has already had to submit to the FIA what its two development tokens would be, which will be dedicated to the redesign of the gearbox and its integration into the chassis. The weakness of the engine cannot be addressed before at least 2022…

With the participation of RacingBusiness.fr