Ferrari finished a lowly sixth in the 2020 Formula 1 season, a fact that Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto knows isn't good enough for the Scuderia, and he expects a minimum of third place in the F1 2021 season. After enduring a torrid year in the 2020 F1 championship, the Italian team will hope to improve on their showing after failing to win a race all year, with a second place finish at the opening Grand Prix of the season being the best result, as well as just two other podium finishes. "Of course we can't change much about the 2021 car because of the tokens," Binotto said while addressing the media, including RacingNews365, during the Maranello Christmas lunch "Still I think that with the new power unit we can still compete for third place in the championship. I even think that should be our minimum target. "It is not because we are Ferrari that we can sit back and that everything will be fine. We have to keep working hard and making steps forward. "The competition is strong, but I have confidence in our own team and the employees within Scuderia. It is therefore important to have a clearly stated ambition in mind." Binotto also highlighted the team's recent history, and that in general Ferrari are always challenging for titles which makes the 2020 season an anomaly. "If I don't count the 2020 season," Binotta began, "we've always finished in the top three in the constructors' championship in the last five years. "We were the only team that could really challenge Mercedes in the battle for the world titles. Based on those results, I think it is not impossible for us to get back to that level." Binotto is also aware of the threats he faces this coming season, especially with teams like Aston Martin and AlphaTauri finding ways around the token system given their close association with Mercedes and Red Bull, respectively. "What we will see in 2021 is that teams like Racing Point (Aston Martin in 2021) and AlphaTauri will not be bothered by the two tokens," Binotto continued. "They can improve the car on several points for free. "In addition to the token rules, McLaren will, for example, switch to a different engine supplier. As a result, competition will be very strong next year." With Ferrari fielding, the youngest driver line-up in its storied Formula 1 history, expectations will be high heading into the 2021 F1 season.
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