Binotto at Audi: “An unexpected choice” for Hülkenberg and Bottas
This week, the two drivers discussed the recent appointment of Mattia Binotto as head of the Audi project. It's a choice they find surprising, given the relationship they had with the previous managers, even if they retain total confidence in the project.
The German manufacturer Audi is going through a turbulent period. Taking advantage of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, the car manufacturer announced a major reorganization by dismissing the two leaders of the Formula 1 project, Oliver Hoffman and Andreas Seidl, who have been in conflict for the past few weeks. In their place, former Ferrari engineer, Mattia Binotto, has been appointed as the new chief operating officer and technical director. This decision surprised the paddock, as evidenced by the reactions of Valtteri Bottas and Nico Hülkenberg.
Bottas’s reaction
The current Sauber driver was questioned this Thursday about the arrival of Mattia Binotto. A sudden and unexpected decision for a project that must imperatively find a form of coherence according to the Finnish driver.
Translate: « Yes, it’s quite a sudden piece of news. I think everything happened quite rapidly, but it’s clear that for these high-level decisions, we, pilots, and many team members, don’t really know what’s going on behind the scenes. But yes, it’s quite unexpected. »
« It’s a bit of a fresh start. It’s no secret that when there’s a fresh start, it always takes a bit of time, first of all. Mattia needs to know what the weaknesses are, what the strengths are, what the priorities are for short and long-term improvements, and it will take a little bit of time. » A certainly regular but necessary renewal to move the project in the right direction. The former Mercedes driver remains optimistic about the team’s ability to adapt to all these changes.
« Once again, this is the third time in three years that we have had a change in leadership, so this is not a new situation, and the team should not be too affected at this stage. I think it’s more of a future issue, and of course, time will tell. We always feel like one team. It hasn’t been very stable lately. But I hope that from now on, things will be a bit more stable and that there will be clear direction. »
This structural reorganization, in a still unclear project, would nonetheless benefit Valtteri Bottas, the Finn wanting to make the most of this new context to highlight his qualities to the new boss and hope for a contract with the Hinwil team for 2025.
Nico Hülkenberg’s response
The same goes for Haas driver Nico Hülkenberg. The German admits to have been somewhat surprised by this news, given the good relationships he had with Seidl and Hoffman, two men who offered him a seat at Audi next season, but he maintains full confidence in his future team.
« Of course they have been influential, they are the two guys we closed the deal with. So that’s it. Obviously, this is an unexpected change. I think that in big projects like this one, there are obviously in the lead people who are important pillars of these projects. »
« But they never rely on just one or two people. So, you know, in F1, everyone is a bit unpredictable. And as for Mattia, I obviously know him from the past, in the paddock, but I have never worked with him. But that will change in a few months. »
Kevin Magnussen’s teammate is looking forward to working with Mattia Binotto, a talented engineer who has achieved numerous successes at Ferrari and whose experience will be beneficial for this new team. In this regard, he denies the possibility that the layoffs of Seidl and Hoffman will affect the team’s morale.
« No, I am not worried. It’s a small shake, a small shock, but we have to get back to business. I’m always eager to join this project and make it a success story with Audi. The fact that two people who were closely linked to me are no longer here, of course, is a bit sad. But what interests me the most is the project, joining Formula 1 with Audi and making it a success story.
Despite the current challenges, Hülkenberg remains confident about Audi’s future in Formula 1. He acknowledges the team’s difficulties this season, the only team yet to score any points, but sees opportunities for significant improvements next year:
« I know that small things can have a very big impact and make a big change, a big difference. I am therefore confident for next year, because I think that with more positive elements on their side and some things that I can bring and maybe change, we will be able to reverse the situation as early as next year. »
