Breaking news
Formula 1
Vettel still focused on Ferrari title mission - Binotto
Mattia Binotto is convinced Sebastian Vettel remains focused on his goal of becoming Formula 1 champion with Ferrari, despite the latest setbacks and his apparent disillusionment with F1.
Valentin Khorounzhiy Jonathan Noble
Edited: Aug 19, 2019, 8:13 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The four-time world champion admitted in the aftermath of his controversial race-deciding Canadian Grand Prix penalty that F1 was no longer the same sport he’d fallen in love with as a child, although he has since moved to shut down speculation that he could retire as early as next year.
And while the pressure from new teammate Charles Leclerc, coupled with his continued lack of F1 title success with Ferrari, has led to suggestions Vettel’s F1 future may lie away from the Scuderia, team boss Binotto says he sees a driver who is still fully focused on his mission.
“I think that his objective hasn't changed - to become world champion with Ferrari,” Binotto told Motorsport.com.
“And he's got that objective very clear. Obviously the start of the season in that respect is frustrating, because it means for his final goal he's not in the best position to achieve it in 2019.
“But because he's got such a strong objective, he knows exactly what he's looking for. I think that is where he's finding his own boost, and that is not compromising anything, so he's clearly still pushing [very] much, because he knows where we need to go and he knows exactly what he's looking for.”
Read Also:
Ferrari and Vettel remain winless in 2019, and the German is 94 points behind championship leader Lewis Hamilton with nine races remaining.
Vettel’s chances of defeating Hamilton in the two past years had been hampered by a number of high-profile errors, and these have been present in 2019 as well – with Vettel spinning in Bahrain, suffering what ended up being a costly off in Canada and hitting Max Verstappen at Silverstone.
Binotto reckoned, however, that Vettel’s recent errors had to do with him trying to overcompensate for Ferrari’s deficit against main rival Mercedes, as “it’s always easier when you’ve got a faster car”.
“He's very analytical, in his way of looking at the problems and the lack of pace, and I think that's helping as well the team,” Binotto added.
“Because at the end it's only a matter of looking at facts, understanding what is wrong, what needs to be improved. I think that in that respect he's got the right approach.
Additional reporting by Roberto Chinchero
Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF90
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Norris felt added pressure due to "insane" McLaren scale
Next article Ferrari: We should have focused more on downforce
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Valentin Khorounzhiy
WTCR's April opener cancelled due to coronavirus
WTCR
WTCR
Hungaroring
Mar 13, 2020
WTCR's April opener cancelled due to coronavirus
Australian GP issues update on nine F1 paddock coronavirus tests
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Mar 12, 2020
Australian GP issues update on nine F1 paddock coronavirus tests
Motorsport Games unveils 15 disciplines for 2020
General
General Mar 11, 2020
Motorsport Games unveils 15 disciplines for 2020
More from
Sebastian Vettel
Why Daniel Ricciardo would consider a comeback at Le Mans
WEC
WEC 15 d
Why Daniel Ricciardo would consider a comeback at Le Mans
Sebastian Vettel reveals why BMW didn't want him – but Red Bull did
Formula 1
Formula 1 15 d
Sebastian Vettel reveals why BMW didn't want him – but Red Bull did
More from
Ferrari
Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 d
Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"
Latest news
TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
3 h
TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale
Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Homestead
4 h
Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 8 h
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe