Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has talked about the "intense years" he spent with Mattia Binotto after the Scuderia boss left his role with the team.
Binotto joined the Italian giants back in 2005, and in 2019 became Team Principal. Having played second fiddle to Mercedes and Red Bull in recent years, hopes were high that the dawn of F1's new era in 2022 would see Ferrari capture a long awaited drivers' title.
That prospect raised further when Leclerc notched early wins in Bahrain and Australia, but his challenge was soon derailed by a series of incidents relating to car reliability and poor team strategy. He eventually finished second, but was a full 146 points off world champion Max Verstappen.
With pressure rising on Binotto, the Swiss born supremo confirmed this month he was stepping down from his role. In an emotional statement, he said: "I am leaving a company that I love, which I have been part of for 28 years, with the serenity that comes from the conviction that I have made every effort to achieve the objectives set."
The Monegasque driver has now reacted by sharing an image of he and Binotto embracing on Instagram, and wrote: "Thank you for everything, Mattia. We spent four very intense years together, full of great satisfaction and also, inevitably, moments that tested us.
"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"
Many of Leclerc's 9.4 million followers also heaped praise on Binotto, with @livia_colici writing: "More than a Ferrari employee, he had a huge passion for this team. Unfortunately many will only remember the unsuccessful strategies, the bad pit stops and the failures to reach the title, however the old F1 fans will remember that he was also there in the Ferrari's golden years."
Ferrari are yet to announce Binotto's replacement, though Frederic Vasseur is believed to be the front-runner for the job. The Frenchman is currently team principal at Alfa Romeo, but the future there is uncertain with Sauber set to link up with German manufacturer Audi in the coming years.
The Scuderia's last drivers' title came back in 2007, when Kimi Raikkonen dramatically edged out Lewis Hamilton. They retained their Constructors' crown a year later, but have since gone empty handed amid the rise of their rivals.
