F1 merry-go-round sparked by Ferrari as four bosses leave roles

Mick Schumacher drives his father’s Ferrari F2003-GA

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Ferrari has sparked a major team principal merry-go-round with four team bosses set to leave their jobs. Mattia Binotto’s departure is just the first of several changes in the paddock as teams freshen things up for 2023. Andreas Seidl has also been linked to a move away from McLaren while Williams has freshened up their management team.

Mattia Binotto

Binotto’s resignation from Ferrari after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix came as no surprise after weeks of rumours in the Italian media. It is understood Binotto did not enjoy the trust of Ferrari chairman John Elkann which may have sped up his exit.

Binotto was warned by Elkann to improve at the Italian Grand Prix earlier this season but the Prancing Horse continued their downward spiral in the second half of the campaign. Title ambitions faded early on while the Italian marquee then dropped behind Mercedes before the end of the season.

Binotto said: “With the regret that this entails, I have decided to conclude my collaboration with Ferrari. I am leaving a company that I love, which I have been part of for 28 years, with the serenity that comes from the conviction that I have made every effort to achieve the objectives set.”

Frederic Vasseur

The Alfa Romeo boss was touted by the Italian press as the next Ferrari boss even before Binotto’s exit was confirmed. The news was made official this morning with Vasseur leaving the Swiss-based Sauber team for the Scuderia.

Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said Vassuer’s technical strengths and ability to get the best from drivers was the approach the team needed. Vasseur added: “As someone who has always held a lifelong passion for motorsport, Ferrari has always represented the very pinnacle of the racing world to me.

“I look forward to working with the talented and truly passionate team in Maranello to honour the history and heritage of the Scuderia and deliver for our Tifosi around the world”.

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Andreas Seidl

The McLaren team principal will leave the British-based squad for Sauber to replace Vasseur in 2023. It is believed the move would be influenced by Audi’s entry into the sport for 2026 which will run from Sauber’s base.

Seidl has connections to Volkswagen after leading Porsche’s successful Le Mans programme between 2015 and 2017. McLaren have decided to replace him with Andrea Stella who is currently the team’s Executive Director.

McLaren’s Zak Brown commented: “I’ve really enjoyed working with Andreas. He has provided great leadership for the team and has played a significant part in our F1 performance recovery plan and ongoing journey to return to the front of the grid. I thank him for the transparency throughout the process which gave us time to plan accordingly.”

Jost Capito

The Williams boss will leave the team after two years in charge as Williams update up their management team. Owners Dorilton Capital will bring in a new team boss ahead of the new season while Williams technical director Francois-Xavier Demaison will also be replaced.

No reason has been given for Williams’ news but it is unlikely to be linked to Ferrari’s situation. Dorilton Capital chairman Matthew Savage explained: “We’re grateful that Jost postponed his planned retirement to take on this challenge and now he will pass the reins on for the next part of this staged process.”

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