Binotto: Singapore last major upgrade for Ferrari this season

Mattia Binotto says the upgrade package Ferrari introduced in Singapore will be its last major update of the 2019 Formula 1 season.

The Italian squad brought a significant aerodynamic upgrade to the Singapore Grand Prix, which proved successful in adding more downforce to its 2019 challenger and helping the team secure its first one-two finish of the season at a circuit it was not expecting to fare well at.

After a winless opening 12 rounds, Ferrari has made progress with its F1 car since the summer break and has gone on to record three victories in the last four races.

“We are really focused now mainly on next year’s car back at the factory, and any [more] updates this season would not be as major as the one we had in Singapore," Binotto said during the Russian Grand Prix weekend.

“Since I think Spain certainly at first out performance was very poor on maximum downforce circuits and low cornering. I think we put a lot of effort internally to try and understand what were the weakness of the car, the behaviour of the tyres, and try to set the direction for development.

“The direction for the development has been continuous development, I have to say, because it’s not only Singapore we brought new parts, but we brought some earlier in other races, and what we have achieved in Singapore has been the sum of everything.

“It’s not only aero, certainly with the aero we have addressed one of the weaknesses we got, but I think it has been coming through as well a good understanding of the car, finding the right compromise on the balance and the set-up, and I think altogether really it’s car understanding and set-up and aero that is important going forwards.”

Ferrari has experimented with a more extreme front wing design concept compared to its rivals for 2019 and has no plans to move away from its current philosophy next season.

“On the front wing I think some are copying us more than others, so, I think next year’s car will be a development of the current one,” Binotto explained.

“Drag or efficiency, I think to develop an efficient car is always good for fuel economy, speed, and I don’t think it’s a completely wrong or bad concept.

“If you look at the season if we count the missed opportunities and the victories I don’t think we are on the wrong side of the sun, and of the balance.

“I think there have been other reasons why this season we have not performed as expected, which is not only car concept, but by the time the weaknesses have been addressed I think we can be quite competitive and the last races have shown it.”