Mattia Binotto was Ferrari workforce principal earlier than Frederic Vasseur and beforehand spent greater than 20 years serving the long-lasting Italian F1 workforce, however is now main the Audi mission
A former Ferrari chief has instructed the Italian workforce that they signed Lewis Hamilton “when he was already on the finish of his profession”. Mattia Binotto hopes to see his former outfit succeed however advised he did not agree with the choice to signal Hamilton as a 40-year-old.
It has been a troublesome season up to now for the Brit, regardless of the early excessive of a maiden Ferrari victory within the Chinese language Grand Prix Dash race. He later added a podium within the second Dash of the yr in Miami, however his Grand Prix outcomes have been underwhelming.
His greatest Sunday outcome up to now in 2025 was fourth within the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, an outstanding comeback drive which delighted the Tifosi gathered at Imola. However it has been troublesome aside from that and, after ending sixth in Barcelona final trip, the seven-time F1 champion stated it was one of many worst races he had skilled.
Hamilton additionally stated the issue is “in all probability simply me”, hinting that he may himself be worrying about whether or not he stays on the high of his sport. He turned 40 in January and can be practically 42 by the tip of the 2026 marketing campaign, for which he’s already contracted.
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And former Ferrari workforce principal Binotto stated he thinks the Brit’s age is an issue. “Hamilton is of a sure age. Ferrari took him when he was already on the finish of his profession. The perfect would have been to have him a couple of years earlier,” he instructed Italian publication Automoto.
Binotto was axed by Ferari on the finish of the 2022 season after 4 years as workforce principal. It dropped at an finish practically 30 years of his service to the Maranello squad, having joined in 1995 as an engineer and labored his means up the ranks.
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In August final yr, it was introduced that he had joined the Audi F1 mission as chief technical officer at Sauber. He then briefly served as interim workforce principal earlier this yr till Jonathan Wheatley began work on April 1, and is now the official head of the entire mission, main the Audi outfit alongside Wheatley.
Binotto nonetheless desires to see his former employer do effectively as each an ex-employee and an Italian F1 fan. And, regardless of his apparent misgivings about Hamilton, the 55-year-old stated he nonetheless has religion that the Scuderia can get again on observe.
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He stated: “From the surface, maybe one should not even decide. It is clear that the efficiency on the observe and the outcomes usually are not good in the mean time.
“Nevertheless, I do know each single member of that workforce very effectively and I do know that they’re good, sturdy and succesful. They’ll be capable to enhance the automobile and do effectively sooner or later and I consider that Ferrari can get some satisfaction this yr.”
