Ferrari hoped for "better weekend" in Mexico despite retaking third
Mattia Binotto says Ferrari wanted “a better weekend” in Mexico despite reclaiming third in the championship, having failed to pose a threat to Formula 1 frontrunners Red Bull and Mercedes.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr finished fifth and sixth respectively on Sunday in Mexico, lifting Ferrari above McLaren into third place in the constructors’ championship by 13.5 points.
Ferrari had trailed in the fight since McLaren’s 1-2 finish at Monza in September, but outscored its rival at each of the last three races to turn the battle around.
However team principal Binotto admitted after the race that Ferrari had expected to perform better in Mexico, having failed to challenge either Red Bull or Mercedes, as well as losing out to AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly in the fight for fourth.
Insight: 10 things we learned from F1's 2021 Mexican Grand Prix
“We were hoping for a better weekend in terms of performance, but overall I think as a team result, it has been a great team result today,” Binotto said after the race in Mexico.
“The two drivers collaborated well. In terms of team strategy, we tried whatever we could to catch Gasly, but we couldn’t.
“In terms of points and championship, we are in third position now, 13.5 points ahead of McLaren, four races to go. So I think it’s still a very tight battle.
“Certainly McLaren struggled as well the last weekend. Let’s see now in Brazil in a week’s time. Hopefully we may consolidate what we have seen today.”
The high-altitude conditions in Mexico meant teams had to run their high downforce aerodynamic packages, an area in which Ferrari has excelled so far this season, scoring pole in Monaco.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF21
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
But Binotto felt the gap to Red Bull and Mercedes had in fact grown over the weekend compared to recent races.
“If I look at the last races, I think we had a pace which was a lot closer to the top teams,” Binotto said.
“For a while today, it was nine-tenths of a second. So I think in terms of the relative gap to the top cars, today we are a bit behind.
“Honestly I was hoping coming to Mexico, where we know somehow as well the power unit counts less, because it’s a circuit that is less power sensitive, to have a better overall relative performance, which has not been the case.
“We struggled a bit on performance in qualy, we struggled a bit as well today compared to the best cars. And I think the fact that Gasly has been ahead of us is another sign.
“Certainly he did very well, so well done to Gasly and AlphaTauri. But I think that today we could have finished, or at least I was hoping to finish ahead of the AlphaTauri and closer to the best.”
Leclerc and Sainz were surprised to see Gasly and AlphaTauri perform so strongly, having failed to keep up with the Frenchman despite attempts to split strategies and use team orders.
“In qualifying and in the race, actually AlphaTauri I think has been better than what we expected them to be,” Leclerc said.
The Ferrari team on the pit wall
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
“Compared to the others in the race I will say the hard stint has been has been more difficult than what we expected it to be too. But otherwise it was all the rest was in line with what we expected.”
Sainz added: “On Thursday I wanted to be clear that since Monaco, a lot of things have changed, particularly the top teams have developed a lot the car.
“You can see how Mercedes and Red Bull, they have a bigger gap now than what they had at the beginning of the season in a lot of tracks to us.
“The biggest surprise was probably AlphaTauri, that they were as quick as us, maybe a tenth quicker the the whole weekend. They had a bit the edge.
“But in terms of our performance to the leaders, they had more or less the gap they had in the last few races, and this track just exposed where we are lacking a bit.
“But in general, a positive weekend.”
Related video
Hamilton fears he "will be in trouble" if Red Bull form continues
Why Red Bull's Mexico victory underlined a time-tested Newey strength
Why Red Bull's Mexico victory underlined a time-tested Newey strength
Max Verstappen's dominant run to victory in the Mexican Grand Prix owed much to a brilliant first corner move - which as well as sublime skill, required him to have total trust in his machinery. The efficiency of Red Bull's aerodynamic package was a key differentiator between it and Mercedes on race day, and points to the continued impact of an F1 heavy-hitter
Mexican Grand Prix Driver Ratings
The Mexican Grand Prix was a potentially significant weekend for the world championship, as Max Verstappen extended his points advantage for a third race in succession. But beyond his race-deciding first corner move, there were other noteworthy performances in the midfield, including from a soon-to-depart figure
Why Verstappen was untouchable after "crucial" Mexican GP Turn 1 pass
After its shock Mexican Grand Prix qualifying defeat to Mercedes, Max Verstappen and Red Bull needed a big response on Sunday. He duly delivered at the start with a superb double pass around the outside, after which he was never challenged due to an innate advantage Red Bull brought to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
The next-level gaming studio boosting McLaren's F1 appeal
One of the first F1 teams to enter the gaming space, McLaren is taking its commitment to Esports to another level by building a high-tech facility in its Woking HQ. STUART CODLING delves into the McLaren Shadow Studio
Why Mercedes is pleased despite Verstappen starting well ahead in Mexico
Max Verstappen looks to have a considerable advantage over his Mercedes rivals judging by the best times set in Friday practice at Formula 1’s 2021 Mexican Grand Prix. But there are signs that suggest the Black Arrows squad could yet get closer than it did yesterday
Inside the Mercedes mission control where F1 races are won or lost
Thousands of miles from the race track, an F1 team’s nerve centre shapes its drivers’ fortunes. For the US Grand Prix, Autosport was granted an exclusive peek behind the curtain at Mercedes' Race Support Room in Brackley, where the crucial number-crunching and monitoring that informs trackside decision-making is made
Why social media backlash isn't swaying F1 on sprint race future
Feedback to Formula 1's introduction of sprint races in the echo chamber of social media has largely been lukewarm to negative. But that won't stop F1 bosses pressing on with its plans, with Ross Brawn hoping that it can continue to attract a younger demographic without switching off F1's hardcore base
Could F1's 'kingmakers' tradition impact the 2021 title battle?
OPINION: The nail-biting Formula 1 title battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton has been billed as a straight fight between the two best drivers on the grid. It may not be as simple as let the best man win, as history tells us that a number of others on the grid could have a say in the world title destiny