Binotto: Ferrari “lucky” driver collision happened in 2019

Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Mattia Binotto feels his side got “lucky” that its drivers collided this season so it can plan for how to handle future scenarios.

Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc wiped each other out of Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix with a coming together while battling over fourth position in the closing stages.

Ferrari has called both drivers back to its Maranello base to review the incident, with Binotto describing the crash after the race as “silly”.

But despite his frustrations, Binotto believes the collision could have a positive outcome by helping Ferrari decide how it will approach letting its drivers race going forwards.

“I’m still convinced it is a luxury because they are both good drivers. Very good drivers,” Binotto said.

“They both represent a good benchmark for each other and we have seen how well they have improved, and Seb in the second half was certainly very fast.

“So I think overall it is still a luxury. The fact that what happened, I would say it is even lucky it happened this season because there will be opportunities to clarify in view of next year what is not to happen.

“So I’m happy to take this opportunity of what happened, to clarify for the future.”

Binotto also dismissed suggestions that Vettel has a history of refusing to be managed by his respective teams, adding the Scuderia simply needs to recognise its mistakes to improve in future.

“I don’t think it is a matter of managing it here, it is a matter of recognising, eventually, what have been the actions and the mistakes,” he explained.

“Whether you are a driver or an engineer, whatever you are doing, recognising mistakes is important. Because that can only make you better.

“What will be important with both drivers is to understand what happened, making sure that at least – not in the heat, but when they will be together in Maranello – to understand what happened and then it will not be for me to blame them, but them to recognise it."