Formula 1 legend Mika Hakkinen pledged his support behind Charles Leclerc, after it was rumoured the Monegasque's relationship with former boss Mattia Binotto played a part in the latter's recent exit.
It was no doubt a mixed season for both Leclerc and Ferrari. In the early stages of 2022, he driver flew out the traps after winning two of the opening three races. Despite his quick start, Leclerc's form soon faded following a catalogue of errors from the Prancing Horse.
Ferrari had been criticised throughout the campaign for making a number of strategic mistakes which cost their drivers dearly.
This poor management is rumoured to have led to the breakdown in the relationship of Leclerc and his boss Binotto, with the pair reportedly not even on speaking terms come the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi.
And the reported fractured relationship is said to have been one of the reasons behind Binotto's departure. Former star Hakkinen however has emphatically played down the rumours, and believes there will still be respect between the two.
Per Formula 1 News , the two-time world champion said: "It doesn’t matter whether you like them or not. That doesn’t interfere with your success. You have to work in a team, you have to respect the people’s talent, knowledge, their commitment to the sport, so I doubt it’s a true story.
“I always thought when I was racing, it’s not a question about whether you like somebody, it’s a question of how good they are, how committed they are, how intelligent, how clever they are – that’s what matters.”
Charles Leclerc also appeared to shut down that talk himself by posting a statement following Binotto's exit. He wrote on social media: Thank you for everything, Mattia. We spent four very intense years together, full of great satisfaction and also, inevitably, moments that tested us.
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"My esteem and respect for you have never diminished, and we have always worked with full dedication to achieve the same goals. Good luck with everything"
Meanwhile, F1 boss Stefano Domenicali believes the 53-year-old lost his job due to Ferrari's high standards, after his team finished second in the standings in 2022. Domenicali told Sky Sports: "When you are second with Ferrari, it is something that is not enough.
"I don't want to get into the dynamic of the team, for sure I want to wish him the best for his future." Following his departure this week, a number of reports have suggested Alfa Romeo man Frederic Vassuer is set to be the man to come in as Binotto's replacement.
