Guenther Steiner tips Mattia Binotto to ‘land on his feet’ with next F1 role

Guenther Steiner sitting with Mattia Binotto. Bahrain March 2022. Credit: Alamy
Guenther Steiner sitting with Mattia Binotto. Bahrain March 2022. Credit: Alamy

Guenther Steiner has backed former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto to “land on his feet” after he departed from the Italian outfit.

While relationships between team principals can be frosty even at the best of times, it seemed as if Steiner and Binotto’s relationship was one of the strongest if their episode in the latest series of Drive to Survive is anything to go on.

The two were pictured driving through the Italian countryside on the way to Binotto’s vineyard and while the Swiss will not be in the paddock this season, his time in Formula 1 is not necessarily at an end.

Binotto spent almost 30 years at Ferrari before resigning at the end of 2022 but he has reportedly agreed to a 12-month gardening period leave from the Maranello team, which may explain why he has not been snapped up by another team yet.

But with a wealth of experience behind him, there is sure to be a long line of interested parties from teams and even the sport itself.

Speaking about his friend’s departure, Steiner believed a person as talented as Binotto was going to “land on his feet”.

“I don’t know you have to ask him that,” Steiner told media including PlanetF1.com when asked if Binotto was a victim of F1’s ‘Piranha Club’. “I think he’s in a good place. I spoke with him at beginning of the week and I think a guy like Mattia will land on his feet.”

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While the battles between Toto Wolff and Christian Horner are famous, they are not the only two team principals to be involved in political battles.

Last year, increased focus was put on Haas and Ferrari’s relationship following the improvement of the former’s fortunes but Steiner said these kinds of comments are “part of the job.”

“It doesn’t do anything to you,” the 57-year-old Italian-American said. “It’s part of the job. I wouldn’t say you enjoy it but you know it’s part of the job and you do it.

“Because once you start to enjoy negative things, I think then you’re quite a sad person. It’s part of your job to get the best out of it. Your skin gets very thick after a while.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

The article Guenther Steiner tips Mattia Binotto to ‘land on his feet’ with next F1 role appeared first on Planetf1.com.