"I am lucky not to have to manage a driver like him" - Ferrari boss terms ex-F1 driver as 'always on the limit'

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto says he’s “lucky” to not have had to manage former F1 driver Gilles Villeneuve when he drove for the Scuderia.

Binotto claimed that the Canadian had little to no regard for strategy and tire management. He joked that he was glad that he didn’t have to deal with Villeneuve.

‘L’Aviatore’ – a film chronicling Villeneuve’s life and career, was released earlier this month on the 40th anniversary of his death. Speaking at the premiere of the film, Binotto said:

“I am lucky not to have to manage a driver like him. Mine are disciplined, they know how to manage tyres, strategies. But Gilles, with his passion, embodies well the hashtag that is Ferrari. He won only six races, but nobody has nurtured the myth of the Prancing Horse like him.

“He was a brave driver, always on the limit. Talking about tactics and strategy was pointless with him and Enzo fell in love with that. Compared to today, fortunately I don’t have to manage someone like Gilles.”

Gilles Villeneuve is often regarded as one of the greatest drivers ever to have driven in F1 and is certainly one of the most beloved. The Canadian’s “maximum attack” approach to racing won him over fans worldwide, with Enzo Ferrari, the late founder of Scuderia, being the foremost.

Having driven for Maranello between 1977 and 1982 and Villenueve came very close to winning the championship in 1979. After just six short years in F1, he was killed at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix when he suffered fatal injuries during a crash in qualifying.

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“Big difference” between current Ferrari drivers and Gilles Villeneuve: Binotto

Mattia Binotto believes comparisons between current Ferrari drivers and Gilles Villeneuve are pointless given the vast advances in safety that F1 has made in recent decades. Speaking to GPblog, he said:

“It would be the same as comparing footballers from different eras. People often compare Gilles with Charles, but there is a big difference in the comparison with now – which is the risk these guys took.

“Before, an accident could take away their legs and feet. Today, fortunately, safety in Formula 1 has improved dramatically. Ferrari have been very active in this journey.”

Since the 1980s, F1 has made huge strides in safety, cutting down the number of driver fatalities per year to almost none. The 2022 cars are the safest in the sport’s history and are designed to absorb an astonishing amount of energy during crashes.