"Outside" pressure building on Ferrari boss Binotto

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has conceded he is a man under pressure in the wake of his team's poor start to this season.

After being off the pace in pre-season testing in February, the Scuderia has been forced to alter its development path, unveiling a revised SF1000 at last weekend's Styrian Grand Prix.

Following a fortuitous second place for Charles Leclerc in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, Leclerc's cause was not helped by a lap-one crash between his two drivers on Sunday that forced both out of the race.

According to a report in Italy's Corriere della Sera, Ferrari chairman John Elkann and CEO Louis Camilleri are lining up Antonello Coletta, manager of Scuderia's GT programme, as a replacement.

Asked whether the job of managing the Ferrari F1 team is more difficult than he had imagined, Binotto said: "Certainly the job is difficult. Certainly, when you are not doing well, as we are not, you’ve got a lot of pressure – from the outside mainly.

"But I think we are putting, as well, a lot of pressure on ourselves because we know what’s our objective, certainly as Ferrari."

After working in F1 for 25 years, Binotto is aware of the highs and lows that can apply to any team, and what is required to address them.

"It’s not the first time we’ve had difficult seasons in Ferrari," said Binotto.

"I remember very well how difficult it is so when moving into that job, I was certainly expecting difficult times.

"More important, when you’re in those times, is to keep stability, to remain focused and really making sure, as a team, if there is anything that needs to be addressed or improved, you’re making the right decisions and moving forward for something better."

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