Binotto: Ferrari's Spa woes not just down to engine
Ferrari Formula 1 boss Mattia Binotto say his team’s Belgian Grand Prix woes are not just down to its lack of straight line speed, as a number of issues are holding it back.


The Italian outfit endured a hugely difficult Friday at Spa-Francorchamps, with Charles Leclerc ending up 15th overall in second practice, two places ahead of Sebastian Vettel.
While the team had been expecting a tough time because the long Spa straights were set to expose its power deficit, Binotto has revealed that the main factor hurting it so far has been the inability to get its tyres in the right operating window.
“We struggle to make the tyres work,” said Binotto. “We are lacking grip, both in braking and acceleration. There is no overall performance to the car. So certainly the drivers are complaining about grip, overall grip.
“I think it that’s not the potential of our car, and that’s certainly not the normal position for our car, if you compare where we are on the grid and the relative competitiveness to the others.”
He added: “I think it’s the same situation on both cars, so it’s not driver related. It’s really the way we set up the car in order to find the right window on the tyres.”
Read Also:
Ferrari experimented with varying the downforce levels on its car during Friday, to better judge if a high drag or low drag solution was more competitive.
Binotto said that the tyre problems left it hard to bring any conclusion as to what was the best way forward – as it risked being slow on the straights and the corners.
“If you don’t find the right windows on the tyres, you are not making them work,” he said. “Certainly if you don’t have grip, you are not fast in sector two, and then you are slow in all three sectors as a consequence.
“So yes, there is a lot to do, and try to address it for the rest of the weekend.”
Ferrari’s form on Friday meant it had dropped back in to the clutches of Williams, and has left it facing the prospect of having a struggle to get through to the final Q3 qualifying session on Saturday.
Related video

Tsunoda set for AlphaTauri F1 test in Abu Dhabi
Wolff: Hamilton’s tyre dream a ‘physical impossibility'

Latest news
Why Mercedes' Spanish GP gains aren't as grand as they seemed
Mercedes' strong showing in last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix prompted team boss Toto Wolff to say it had halved its deficit to the leaders and its Formula 1 title chances were back on after a rocky start to the 2022 campaign. But a closer inspection of the team's performance suggests its gains aren't as grand as they first appeared
What's next for the Green Red Bull controversy?
From the 'pink Mercedes' to the 'Green Red Bull', the Silverstone-based team has received suspicious glares from up and down the Formula 1 paddock over its car design exploits. But after being cleared by the FIA over its Spanish Grand Prix updates amid a backdrop of cries of foul play, what's next in this saga?
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...
The key aspects of Porsche and Audi's planned F1 entries
The VW Group’s German superpowers of sportscar racing have all but confirmed they are coming to F1 when the next set of engine rules come into force in 2026. Here's why both manufacturers are all set to take the plunge, and crucially how it might work
How Vegas went from byword for F1 indifference to grand Liberty coup
Holding a race in Las Vegas – party central, a city of dreams and decadence and, yes, more than a smattering of tackiness – has been on Liberty Media’s most-wanted list since it acquired Formula 1’s commercial rights. But, as LUKE SMITH explains, F1 has been here before and the relationship didn’t work out
Why de Vries' FP1 outing could add a new path to his current crossroads
A Formula 2 and Formula E champion, Nyck de Vries is currently considering where his future in motorsport lies. Continuing in WEC and Formula E is possible and he's also courted glances Stateside after impressing in an IndyCar test. But ahead of his Formula 1 FP1 debut with Williams, he could have another option if he impresses...