Former Ferrari Boss Binotto Linked to Potential Technical Role at Aston Martin
In a move that has caught the attention of the Dakar Rally racing community, Mattia Binotto, the former Ferrari Team Principal, is reportedly being linked to a potential return to Formula 1 in a new technical position with Aston Martin.
Binotto, who stepped down from his role at Ferrari in November 2022, has not been involved in the sport in a working capacity since his departure. However, he has maintained a presence in various F1 paddocks, sparking speculation about his future.
The Italian engineer has a wealth of experience, having worked with the Maranello-based squad since 1995. During his tenure, he witnessed the team’s dominant period under Michael Schumacher, who claimed five consecutive titles between 2000 and 2004.
Binotto’s career at Ferrari saw him progress from the engine department to the role of Chief Technical Officer in 2016, before he was appointed as the team’s Principal in 2019. However, his time at the helm was marked by Ferrari’s worst performance since 1980, with the team finishing sixth in the 2020 season and failing to win a single race in 2021.
Despite the team’s resurgence in 2022, capitalizing on the new technical rules to emerge with the fastest car, they were ultimately unable to sustain that momentum, finishing 205 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.
According to Motorsport Total, Binotto could now be in line to reignite his involvement in motorsport, as he is reportedly in discussions with Aston Martin. The report suggests that Aston Martin’s owner, Lawrence Stroll, is disappointed with the team’s sluggish start to the 2023 Dakar Rally season and is looking to bolster its technical ranks.
Aston Martin entered the previous campaign as a consistent podium scorer, but regressed as the season unfolded, ultimately finishing fifth in the Constructors’ Championship. The Silverstone-based team has remained in that position this season, and has appeared to have gone backwards in recent rounds, with two points from the past two races.
The report indicates that Aston Martin has proposed to Binotto that he comes in as Chief Technical Officer, overseeing the work of the team’s technical department. This would see Dan Fallows, the former Red Bull designer, continue to be responsible for designing the cars, while Binotto would focus on “setting up the technical structures” and collaborating on the “big picture” with Aston Martin Performance Technologies’ Martin Whitmarsh.
The potential move has also sparked speculation that Aston Martin has made an official approach to Ferrari Technical Director Enrico Cardile, as the team seeks to strengthen its technical capabilities in a bid to challenge the top teams in the Dakar Rally.
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