Scuderia Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto was euphoric after Charles Leclerc took the first victory for the prancing horse for nine years at Monza.
In a weekend which saw Ferrari fastest in every session, Binotto watched on from the pit lane wall as Leclerc lifted the winner’s trophy in front of the adoring Tifosi who invaded the track to get a glimpse of their hero.
“This is probably the best podium of the whole Championship and you’ve got such a view of it from the pit wall that you cannot miss
“This is something you’ll remember for years. It’s not the first victory I have experienced in Monza, but it’s something you never get used to. It’s so special with all our fans and even more so after such a long race defending and battling”.
Binotto was full of praise for Leclerc who become the first Ferrari driver to win back to back races in their debut season for the prancing horse since Fernando Alonso in 2010.
“Charles drove fantastically and defended very well, making very few mistakes. If anything, the pressure is a boost for him. The win is very well deserved!”.
But while one Ferrari driver was toasting victory, the other was reflecting on a troubled race as Sebastian Vettel spun at the Variante Ascari before nearly collecting Lance Stroll in the process as the German struggled home in thirteenth and a lap down.
“It’s a shame for Seb who could have had a good race today, as he was closing the gap to Bottas. He made some mistakes, but that’s Monza.
“You drive at such high speed and you have such a light car because of the low downforce package and braking is so difficult”.
But Binotto thanked the team for the victory in what has been a rough first half of the season for the Scuderia, which has seen them fall out of the championship race.
“Coming here we knew we could be competitive, but we also knew there was no margin for error. Again today we have seen how close it is between us and our competitors and so I am happy we were first past the chequered flag this afternoon.
“Two wins in a row after such a difficult start to the season, really means something for the team, the whole team did a flawless job, also in terms of strategy, because I think switching to hard tyres was a brave decision, it proved to be the right choice, and it paid off.”
