Target is not to Beat McLaren: Binotto Lists Ferrari’s ‘Main Goal’ This F1 Season

After failing to be competitive last season, Ferrari were not seeing Mercedes as their rivals. However, this season the Italian team has seemed to found his mojo back as they have been making an impact in the grid.

Hence, it seemed like the Scuderia will see McLaren for the 2021 championship. The Woking-based squad in third place with 120 points under their belt. While the red team sits just behind them with 108 points.

However, team principal Ferrari, Mattia Binotto feels that defeating the Woking-based outfit isn’t on their bucket list, but to grow more with the team as a whole.

Ferrari isn’t concerned with McLaren’s performance, says Binotto

As quoted from Motorsport.com, the team boss said, “How important is it to us to get more points from McLaren? It doesn’t matter [to us]. Maybe I surprise you, but as I said at the beginning of the season.”

Formula One F1 – Monaco Grand Prix – Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Monaco – May 20, 2021 Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto in the FIA Press Conference FIA/Handout via REUTERS

“Our main goals are to make sure that we are progressing as a team in terms of next year and next seasons and that we are doing better in every field, and to learn from mistakes, like for example in France.”

“Third place in theory may be a goal, but it’s not your main goal. As I said before, I think the most important thing is that you make progress,” Binotto concluded. (Translated from Turkish via Google)

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Scuderia looking to capitalize on round two in Austria

This past weekend at Styria saw the Italian team scored a combined total of fourteen points, as Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished in P6 & P7 respectively. Meanwhile, at McLaren, only Lando Norris scored points as he crossed the line 5th. His teammate, Daniel Ricciardo finished in P13 and hence came home empty-handed.

Formula One F1 – Steiermark Grand Prix – Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Styria, Austria – June 26, 2021 Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. during practice REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

Regardless, the Woking-based team still has a twelve-point lead over the red team. However, in a week’s time, they go racing again at the same venue and are hoping for a better finish if not a similar one, to see them take back the third place in the constructor’s.

Can Sainz and Leclerc work together can bring home dual points finish for the Maranello-based team? We won’t have to wait that long as we are just days away from the Austrian Grand Prix.

Read More: Ferrari Intervened in My Dream of Becoming F1 CEO: Toto Wolff

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