René Arnoux on Binotto's "unacceptable mistakes" and his advice for Vasseur amid Ferrari resurgence

He is in love with Ferrari. French former racing driver René Arnoux was interviewed by the Italian daily newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport and answered Mario Salvini’s questions in a very direct way, without avoiding to address the most sensitive topics, like a… disappointed fan does.

The French driver, who completed 149 GP races with seven wins, 18 pole positions and a third place in the 1983 drivers’ world championship, never forgot his experience in Maranello and every time he gets the opportunity he puts on the fireproof racing suit and drives a red car, whether it’s a historic Formula 1 car or one from the XXX programme.

René Arnoux first wanted to point out that Mattia Binotto’s departure as Ferrari team principal is the right decision. In fact, the former Ferrari driver feels that Mattia Binotto should have been replaced earlier: “The mistakes he made are unforgivable. I’ve never been on Mattia Binotto’s side. Someone who says “it will be better next year” doesn’t deserve to be in charge of Ferrari. I would have already replaced him several years ago. Such an approach is unacceptable when you’re leading the best team in the world. You may or may not like Jean Todt, but he would never have said “it will be better next year”. He won and when he won he thought about the following year. But there are just a few figures like Jean Todt.” – the former Ferrari driver added.

The evaluation of Frederic Vasseur, who will be active at the Ferrari Racing Division from 9 January is less harsh: “I don’t know much about him. We have seen the results he achieved with a mid-range team like Alfa. But managing Alfa and managing Ferrari are very different things. He has the necessary competence and I hope he will be able to make the team his own in terms of technology and strategy, without which you won’t win the world championship.” – the French former racing driver added.

Rene Arnoux has many regrets for the 2022 Formula 1 season: “This year the chassis and engine were there, the reliability wasn’t. But above all, we have made many mistakes with the strategies. And that area needs to be improved. I’d say throw it all away. And find someone who’s capable of doing things better.”

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The Frenchman is convinced that the principal team shouldn’t also have technical tasks like Mattia Binotto did: “Bringing the two roles together was a mistake. Vasseur has to find the right people. You don’t have to know how a gearbox or an engine is made. Jean Todt didn’t care. You have to have the right, competent people. And manage them. When you have Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne and Paolo Martinelli you just have to allow them to work well….” – he pointed out.

And what is needed to bring Ferrari back to winning ways? The recipe is quite clear, according to René Arnoux: “It’s very complicated in Maranello because there’s a lot of pressure, you need someone with a iron fist. You have to think that what matters is the result. Fred Vasseur must do like Jean Todt…”.