Ferrari thinks that Mercedes thinks too much of itself in F1

General

15 July 2020 at 09:08
  • GPblog.com

Relations between Ferrari and Mercedes are on edge. The team of Toto Wolff indicated recently that it is still waiting for clarification from the FIA about the illegal Ferrari engine of 2019, but at Ferrari they are also not so happy with how Mercedes behaves politically in Formula 1.

"I hope that not only Ferrari will accept compromises", Mattia Binotto refers to the fact that Mercedes was the only team to vote against the format of reversed grid sprint races prior to the season. "I was disappointed that the idea was rejected because I am convinced that if everyone looked only at their own advantage, many of the decisions we made during the lockdown would not have been possible".

Ferrari made sacrifices

Over the past few months, major steps have been taken towards making Formula 1 healthier. Ferrari has also had to make sacrifices, says Binotto as team boss. The Italian superpower, in the interest of the future of the pinnacle of motorsport, has cut itself off on several occasions.

For example, Ferrari was against lowering the budget ceiling to $145 million per season and was not in favour of postponing the new regulations to 2022. The Maranello-based team could have vetoed this. "It wasn't easy for us to accept, but we acted very responsibly because it's important for the sport and the smaller teams".

Mercedes acts out of its own interest

Ferrari believes that this makes them an example for Mercedes. Purely for its own sake Mercedes voted against trying reversed grid sprint races on the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone. The world champion was afraid it would affect the chances of taking the world title of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.