Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto is certain a ‘perfect’ weekend is needed at their home race, the Italian Grand Prix, if they are to secure victory, despite their superior straight-line speed advantage.
During the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Ferrari appeared to have the measure of their nearest rivals, especially in the first sector from La Source to Les Combes where the cars are at full throttle for over 20 seconds.
The raw power of the SF90 was most evident as the Mercedes struggled to keep up in the slipstream of the Ferrari, even with DRS.
Despite the raw speed advantage, the long-run pace of the Ferrari suffered in comparison to the Mercedes which led to a tense final few laps as Lewis Hamilton hunted down Charles Leclerc right to the chequered flag.
Whilst the layout of the Monza circuit should favour the Ferrari, Binotto is fully aware that their rivals low downforce packages could allow them to battle with Ferrari on its home soil.
“I think at first, to prepare for Monza or the best way to approach Monza would have been to win many races before and not only Spa,” said Binotto
“But certainly Spa and Monza are the most power-sensitive circuits, and we proved that our package is competitive here at Spa, and we maybe expect to be competitive in Monza as well, no doubt.
“We’ve developed some low downforce packages. Some of it has been used here in Spa. I don’t know what the others have prepared for Monza, so that’s really a question mark.
“But true as well that we know our car is competitive on the straights for the speed we’ve got, and after Spa, I may say that we will be competitive in Monza as well. I think the winning in Spa is important as well for our fans.
“You need to do everything perfect from qualifying to the start to the team management, to the drivers themselves, their driving.
“Nothing can be left and I’m expecting as well that it will be very difficult at Monza. We will need to perfect there, knowing that certainly we may be competitive as well.”
