Ferrari: Standard parts against ‘spirit’ of F1
Mattia Binotto promotion not to blame for Ferrari's reliability issues.
Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto has urged F1 not to up the list of standardised parts for 2021, saying it goes “against the spirit” of the sport.
Pushing hard to reduce the costs of competing in Formula 1 with the help of new regulations come 2021, Formula 1’s powers-that-be are pushing for more standardised parts.
The FIA want standard wheels and brake systems added the list along with other parts including the driveshaft, steering wheel, pedals and pit equipment.
Binotto says he is not in favour.
“I am not happy yet,” the Italian told Autosport. “I am not happy as Ferrari yet.
“I think since the very beginning we always said that we are against the standardisation, and I feel we are going too much in the direction of standardisation.
“Why are we against [it]? Because we believe that, first, the DNA of this sport is competition, and standardising somehow is against the spirit.
“Second, because, whatever you’re doing standard doesn’t mean that you are saving money, because you need to re-engineer your car, your components, towards the new component, and that has an impact as well on the economical [side]. So I’m not sure that the balance is positive.”
Binotto reckons adopting a budget cap, which Ferrari have agreed to, should be enough to keep costs down.
He added: “Sustainability is a key factor, and I think the budget cap we are all in favour of, we have all subscribed already, and the financial regulation is a key point of the future as well, because it’s stopping expenses, it’s closing the gap between the small and the big teams – even if maybe the budget which has been agreed is very high for small teams, but at least you reduce the gap.
“And I think that, again, it’s back on the standardisation. I don’t think we need standard parts to save money, because we will anyway spend whatever is the cap.
“At least the top teams will spend whatever is the cap, so on the standard parts will not be affecting that respect.
“So, while I understand the reason of them, I think we need to be careful in evaluating the risk versus benefit, and not forgetting also the final objective.”
Follow us on Twitter @Planet_F1 and like our Facebook page.
