Mattia Binotto delivers Red Bull verdict in fight with Ferrari

Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto says that Red Bull are currently the favourites in Formula 1, even if the Scuderia are leading the way in both championships.

The Prancing Horse has proven resurgent this season in the sport, with them leading the Constructors’ championship thanks to two double podium finishes, whilst Charles Leclerc is atop of the Drivers’ standings thanks to a win in Bahrain and a second-place finish in Saudi Arabia.

Certainly, it’s great to see the famous old team back challenging at the sharp end and many have them labelled as the current strongest outfit on the grid.

Binotto, though, continues to try and play things down – something he has done since winter testing – and he clearly seems to believe that Red Bull actually have the best car right now:

“I believe Red Bull is the strongest and the favourite,” Binotto told Sky Sports F1.

“Keeping up the level on a long season is a challenge, not just for us but all the teams. It’s true that our competitors have very strong development. In 2017 and ’18 we lost a bit of ground.

“But since then, in car design, we have improved our wind tunnel, technologies, processes and simulations and so today we are much better prepared than in the past to do a good job with development.”

Certainly, in-season development is going to be important perhaps more than ever this year with every team learning something new about their car with every turn of the steering wheel.

We’re at the very early stages of F1’s new era and though Ferrari and Red Bull lead the way, they know that they must keep the hammer down and keep developing as those behind will be working like beavers too.

It is clear, though, that Ferrari and Red Bull have got it right most of all at this stage,