You can feel the frenetic movement in Maranello. A Ferrari red alert, with an emergency protocol to be followed as when a leak is found in the hull of a ship, in the open sea. The resignation of Mattia Binotto, not yet officers, they have opened a breach in the hull which will take time and effort to be repaired. It doesn't matter what the purpose of this removal is, much less the voluntariness of what would be, at the end of this whole circus, resignations. What matters is finding a quick but effective solution so as not to have a devastating impact on next and future seasons.
Projects already started, a machine that never stopped, the balance in conclusion it shouldn't be broken, ma this strong turbulence it will have consequences that will undermine it in the days to come. They are still all assumptions, there is nothing official except authoritative sources to cling to in this representation of the absurd. But the fact that in Ferrari there are mechanisms, opaque subterfuges known to few, is not surprising. A complexity that cyclically reappears in Ferrari, and which has come back to the surface in recent days. Dragging names and faults on the media harangue table.
Broken balances
Stomach aches Leclerc, in some key moments of a season that has taken on a distorted reflection of reality, taking the stage at the F1-75 born with a lot of sweat, have been taken as the main testimony of this inevitable separation between Ferrari and its captain, Mattia Binotto. In tracing a path consistent with what emerged from the indiscretions, various names have been brought up for the "after Binotto" some of which are related to the figure of the young Monegasque, the protégé of President John Elkann willing to blow any head off, according to some, to protect it. To facilitate a transition to first-time driving, which never materialized even when the sporting results spoke for themselves.
Frédéric Vasseur, current TP of Alfa Romeo, was immediately the main candidate for the role of Team Principal. His excellent relationship with the president and with Leclerc has helped fuel the rumors around him. On his name the audience was divided but most believe that his arrival would only bring more decision-making power to Leclerc, a talented driver who has had to learn a lot this season. Charles would find himself a far greater weight than he has ever had to bear. Furthermore, Vasseur's palmares is not the most attractive. In short, without infamy or praise. In addition there would also be the extra F1 commitments that would limit it.
A fallback choice
The question that everyone has been asking as soon as the rumors about the post-Binotto candidates came out is: wasn't there a better alternative to Vasseur? A more than legitimate question considering that a Binotto-Wolff change, however utopian, would have had a completely different weight, also speaking of competitive realities more or less on the same level. Vasseur would "devalue" the figure of the TP Ferrari, despite being part of the orbit of the horse. For The print Vasseur would be But the only figure willing to accept after a series of "no" from other candidates. Alternatively, Ferrari could leave the position to the managing director Benedetto Vigna, also appointing a technical director to support him in case more time is needed to cushion the weight of this delicate situation by lifting responsibilities from the team that would be managed from above.
"Vasseur remains a candidate to succeed Binotto, even if his name has aroused some perplexity in the (it is still the number one of a low-ranking team). An alternative hypothesis is the ad interim appointment of the managing director of Ferrari, Benedetto Vigna, and the appointment of a technical director, a figure canceled by Binotto. Just Vigna in an interview with CNBC, quoted Enzo Ferrari's motto: "The runner-up is the first of the losers" is reported by Stefano Mancini on The print.
Tick the name of Ross Brawn
The figure of the technical director could instead be managed by an old acquaintance in Maranello: Ross Brawn. A name, a guarantee. No wonder if a huge echo is pouring around this rumors.
“The Andrea Seidl hypothesis, today at the head of McLaren, seems to have lapsed, while the hypothesis of a return of Ross Brawn, technical director at the time of Schumacher and now parked as director of F1, seems suggestive. Whoever takes up the position will be the fifth team principal in the last nine years, which have seen Stefano Domenicali, Marco Mattiacci and Maurizio Arrivabene take turns”.
We had talked about Toto Wolff, here is perhaps Brawn for his experience, technical knowledge, for the fact of knowing the team, of having lived in the beating heart of the little horse, without internal, external influences, repercussions on the riders that a Vasseur would instead bring, so much close to Charles as far from Carlos, he would be the right compromise and worthy successor to Mattia Binotto. In Ferrari, after the denials in the Abu Dhabi GP, everything is now silent. Only time will tell if this pattern will come true. Or if it will have been yet another illusion born of our minds trying to give a very specific shape to what awaits us in the immediate future.
Source statements: FormulaPassion
