"They were motivated, for us it was all uphill" - Ferrari boss wary of 'distraction' from those behind the team

Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto feels that last season's title battle is not the reason for both Mercedes and Red Bull falling behind Ferrari in the championship this year. Due to the ultra-close nature of the title battle last season, both the teams were forced to develop their machinery later into the season while Ferrari was able to switch focus to the 2022 season much earlier.

This season, Ferrari has made the best start out of any team. The car is great in all conditions while both Mercedes and Red Bull seem to be struggling with some teething issues. Speaking about the same, the Italian said:

“I don’t see it like that at all. They were motivated, for us, it was all uphill. Working on the future when you get slapped every weekend was not easy. You have to put your face to it and have a management that accepts the situation. If the opponents are behind, there are other reasons – it has nothing to do with distraction.”

When asked who was the bigger threat to the Italian team in the championship, Binotto singled out Red Bull for its ability to develop a car throughout the season. He said:

“Red Bull – they have a superior development capacity.”

Charles Leclerc has taken advantage of the superior machinery this season to establish a healthy lead already in the championship. Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, has struggled to match Leclerc and is already 33 points behind in the championship. When questioned about implementing a "No. 2" driver role for Sainz in the team, Binotto refuted such suggestions, saying:

“No, they both have the right to express themselves at their best. At this stage, there is no need for team orders. And without the mistake in Melbourne, Carlos [Sainz] would be second. And if Carlos wins, he takes points away from [Max] Verstappen, the real rival.”

He also iterated that the team's primary aim is to fight for the constructors' championship and the Italian team wouldn't be happy with a drivers' title alone. He said:

“We couldn’t be – the Constructors’ championship represents the solidity of a team. To understand – a Drivers’ title would be extraordinary, but I think our goal goes further.”

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Ferrari holds a commanding lead in both the championships

The Italian outfit holds a commanding lead in the championship at the moment. The car has looked great in all conditions and to top it all off, the car is reliable, something that has been the Achilles heel for almost all the teams on the grid this season. It now remains to be seen how the Prancing Horse and its drivers fare at the 2022 F1 Imola GP.