In home Ferrari there is a rather tense climate for the last race of the season. Not just for the challenge with Mercedes and what the trail may reserve after the encouraging signs in Brazil. Everyone tries to snatch a word, a look, any sign that confirms the rumors about the dismissal of Mattia binotto starting from 2023. News leaked externally, but of which there is still no confirmation. The general line of anyone who faces the cameras in the paddock is that of "no comment". The team seems to have locked down Binotto, present on the track but absent in front of the cameras. Leclerc and Sainz are no different. They prefer to talk about the track and the results obtained following the first day of free practice in Abu Dhabi.
Sainz: I'm not talking about the rumors
After Charles Sainz also expressed his opinion on the Binotto issue. “As long as they are all rumors I don't talk about these things – said the Spaniard to the microphones of Sky Sport F1 – because I don't find it necessary. They could have been born of someone who makes things up, so I'm cool. I see the team calm and calm, just as I perceive a lot of unity. It's not easy sometimes to work for Ferrari because sometimes you have to face these rumors but before arriving here everyone told me that it would be like this and that this is part of being at Ferrari. You accept it, get used to it and continue. You have to work with your head down without listening too much“. He is well aware that it is not easy to work in such an environment, given that at the beginning of the year, the Spaniard was the first to end up at the center of criticism.
There is room for improvement
Carlos Sainz was one of the 8 starting drivers to have missed the FP1 giving way to Robert Shwartzmann. His feeling in FP2 wasn't the best, Sainz finished in sixth position but the Spaniard believes there is a good margin of improvement for the rest of the weekend. Leclerc also hopes so, complaining about the race pace.
“It was a very demanding FP2 for me after missing the first session, so it was just a matter of recovering and getting back into the rhythm as soon as possible Sainz said. "The feeling on the track wasn't bad, but I know we have a lot of room to improve tomorrow. I can't wait for the last qualifying of the year to arrive”.
Source statements: Scuderia Ferrari, FormulaPassion
