Binotto claims Ferrari "misjudged the weaknesses and limitations of our package"
F1 News
Ferrari has been nowhere near Mercedes during the 2019 Formula 1 season. They seem to have gone backwards since pre-season and Mattia Binotto tries to explain why.
The Italian team dominated the pre-season tests, and you could blame this on the Mercedes sandbags. However, during the Barcelona Grand Prix, Ferrari couldn't find their pre-season form with a delta of eight-tenths of a second.
"For a straightforward comparison in Barcelona between test and race, we have done worse for one simple reason. We developed the car in the wrong direction. Because we had misjudged the weaknesses and limitations of our package," Binotto told Auto Motor und Sport.
Seemingly, the whole field is struggling with the 2019 Pirelli tyres. Haas has clearly struggled with them, while Christian Horner made his thoughts clear when he asked for the 2018 tyres to make a comeback.
Binotto says Ferrari didn't get the car concept right with the current tyre model.
"Our vehicle concept does not fit the 2019 tires. The car is not one of the best in terms of maximum downforce. For this we have a favorable air resistance. In the last two years, we have done well with our efficient aerodynamics. That does not work with these tires anymore. Since we lack downforce, we have difficulty warming up the tires and keeping them in the window where they provide optimal grip," he added.