Mattia Binotto: Ferrari lost out to Red Bull on these 'few factors'

The 2022 Formula 1 season was an overall success for Ferrari, but the Maranello-based team couldn't finish top of the table as Red Bull's dominance on the tracks was too much to overtake. Ferrari finished second in the Constructors' Championship, while the first and third places went to Red Bull and Mercedes, respectively.

Ferrari started the season strong as they won two of the first three races of the campaign, but thereafter, Red Bull turned their season around in a rather spontaneous fashion, making efficient improvements to their RB18 to make sure that Max Verstappen could bring the championship home.

In an interview, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto addressed the factors that helped the winners, Red Bull, as they pipped them for the top spot. Binotto thought that his team faced a more complicated task in improving their car. When asked by Motorsport.com about why Red Bull's development was stronger over the course of 2022, Mattia Binotto said:

"I think there have been a few factors. The first I think that, in terms of development, Red Bull had a clear route, which was reducing the weight of the car. This was not our case. They knew what [they needed] to tackle to get performance out of the car itself."

He added:

"For us it was more complicated because it was really through aero developments and trying to improve the car from the concept and the aero point of view. Also, I think if I look back, maybe the development we did was not certainly sufficient. We stopped very early; not only for a choice but because of expenditure reasons. But there are some things that we need to review."

The Italian team revealed that work on their 2022 car stopped several weeks ago as the team had hit the limit with its cost cap spending for the year.

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Ferrari 'can do very well' in strategy

Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto believes the Maranello-based team can be very good with strategies. He claimed that the 2022 F1 Abu Dhabi GP was an example of that.

The last race of the season had some major significance as the battle for P2 in the drivers' championship was on. Ferrari's one-stop strategy helped them immensely as they trumped Red Bull's Sergio Perez's 2-stop strategy, which in turn helped Charles Leclerc secure P2 in the world drivers' championship.

After the race, a jubilant Binotto talked about the strategies that helped them beat Red Bull, he said:

“It is great for the team, great for the strategists, great to have done a solid weekend. P2 is the balance of the entire season, not only (the race). We certainly did a proper job. The dummy pit stop on the Red Bull was the right call. Happy for the team. When Ferrari are making mistakes, there is always a lot of criticism, but we know as well these guys can do very well.”

He added:

"I think it was a difficult weekend for tyre degradation and tyre management, not only for us, but it was the case for other drivers and the case for Mercedes and Checo. Pushing too hard on the first laps, the risk was to destroy the tyres so in order to manage it well through the entire stint; you had to be very careful at the start, but you needed a good balance of the car."

With the 2022 season now over, what Ferrari have planned for the 2023 F1 season is going to be an interesting watch.