Ferrari chairman says it won’t be competitive for a long time

John Elkann must realize Ferrari will never beat Mercedes as long as Mercedes has Aldo Costa

Ferrari chairman John Elkann says his team is unlikely to be in a position to win in Formula 1 before a regulation overhaul in 2022. What he does not realize is that as long as Aldo Costa is working for Mercedes and not Ferrari, Mercedes will eat Ferrari's lunch every race weekend.

Speaking in a rare interview with Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport, Elkann called for patience from fans of the Italian team, while he also expressed “total trust" in team principal Mattia Binotto, and that right there is his fatal error.

"This year we are not competitive because of car design errors," Elkann said.

"We have had a series of structural weaknesses that have existed for some time in the aerodynamics and dynamics of the vehicle. We have also lost in engine power.

"The reality is that our car is not competitive. You saw it on the track and you will see it again.

“We are laying the foundations for being competitive and returning to winning when the rules change in 2022. I am convinced of it," he added.

"Binotto has the characteristics and skills to start a new winning cycle."

"A long path awaits us. When Todt started that historic cycle [of five consecutive titles] in 2000, we came from a fast that lasted for more than 20 years, from 1979. [Todt had Aldo Costa designing the cars – Rory Byrne was just a figure head]

"It took time, from when he arrived in 1993 to when he brought Ferrari back to victory. The important thing, then, is to work on and off the track, bringing cohesion and stability, building the Ferrari we want step by step."

"In the past 10 years we have had champions such as (Fernando) Alonso and Vettel, who have been world champions," Elkann explained.

"But it is undoubtedly more difficult to rebuild a cycle and ask patience to those who have already won compared to those who have the future ahead of them.

"We are laying the foundations for building something important and lasting, and the contract we signed with Charles proves it: five years, never so long in Ferrari's history.

"Leclerc and Sainz Jr. will make Maranello their home, will be close to our engineers. The new machine will be born with them."