Binotto: Technical Directive affected Ferrari negligibly

Ferrari could not display the devastating pace they have enjoyed so far this year at Spa last weekend, the pace that allowed Charles Leclerc to start from pole seven times this season.

In fact Max Verstappen won the race by over 17 seconds from teammate Sergio Perez who, despite struggling, was able to overhaul Carlos Sainz who has to settle for third.

The FIA's Technical Directive, TD039, aimed at reducing 'porpoising' was in full effect at the race weekend in Belgium, and Mattia Binotto was asked whether the Scuderia's lack of speed.

"I don’t know the way it has affected the other teams, but in terms of Ferrari, it has affected in a completely negligible way," Binotto was quoted by Motorsport, after the race.

"So it’s not the answer for our lack of performance today. It’s the type of track where you need great efficiency, both in terms of aero and power unit, and I think simply Red Bull today have got a better package in that respect.

"On top of that, they had the better tyre degradation. It had nothing to do with bottoming. So that’s not the reason. So we need to look at different type of reasons in order to improve that," he insisted.

Red Bull's straight line speed at Spa was brought to Binotto's attention, along with the question whether that was a worry for them at their home race in Monza following this weekend's Dutch grand prix.

"In view of Monza, it is not, because we have as well a lighter wing to run here in Spa, but we didn’t use it because we believe it was not the right choice," Binotto claimed.

"Considering tyre degradation and the high temps of today [Sunday], what is more concerning for me is to see [Red Bull] have been capable of running a lower downforce but still having a great type of speed in the middle sector where you need downforce.

"I think they’ve got both, low drag and high downforce, great downforce on the car," he pointed out.

"So for Monza, certainly we will run a different type of wing, lower drag, so the speed itself will not be the concern," Binotto revealed.

"But once again, for the next races, I think it’s more the overall performance of the Red Bull shown today that is a concern," the Swiss-born Italian insisted.

With eight races remaining, Leclerc now trails Verstappen by 98 points having dropped to third in the Formula 1 Drivers' Championship.

Ferrari are 118 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors' standings and would be hoping to redeem themselves in front of their Tifosi at Monza in two weeks' time.