Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri has moved to back team boss Mattia Binotto despite a tough start to 2019.
The Italian team has been struggling on multiple fronts, having failed to beat Mercedes at any race so far this season and had issues with the dynamic of Charles Leclerc alongside Sebastian Vettel.
That means the pressure is growing on Binotto in his first year as team boss/technical director, but Camillieri is keen to stop any kind of speculation over his position.
“There is no panic. My job is to prevent rumours from spreading, so now is the time to close ranks,” he told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I am sure he [Binotto] will find a solution. Now we are having two important test days and I am sure that we can recover quickly.
“I do not have a crystal ball so I cannot say when we will find a solution, but I am sure that this testing will help.”
That being said, the CEO has low expectations for the next race in Monaco, a race Ferrari has only won once since 2001.
“There are a lot of narrow and slow turns similar to the third sector in Barcelona where we had problems all weekend,” he confessed.
Also Read:
- Brundle: Ferrari must back Binotto despite current shortcomings
- Ferrari promises thorough analysis into cornering issues after Spain defeat
Binotto too is also trying to remain upbeat, believing the potential is there for Ferrari once it is unlocked.
“The limitations that we got were present already in the first races of the season,” he told Autosport.
“I think the entire weekend certainly emphasised it, and [the weaknesses] were straightforward and obvious.
“How long it will take [to solve] is difficult to answer. I think more important for us is to understand how to address them.
“Then I am pretty sure we can do it quickly.”