Binotto was born in Lausanne to Italian parents and pursued an engineering education across two Swiss institutions. In 1994 he obtained a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, then completed a master's degree in automotive engineering at the University of Modena. The combination of Swiss precision engineering education and Italian automotive specialism set the foundation for a career at the sport's highest technical level.
Binotto joined Scuderia Ferrari in 1995 as an engine engineer on the test team. He was present through one of the most successful periods in Ferrari's history, contributing to the technical programme that underpinned Michael Schumacher's five consecutive Formula One World Championships in the early 2000s. In 2007 he was promoted to Race Engine Chief Engineer, and in 2009 he supervised the team's engine and KERS operations in partnership first with Paolo Martinelli and subsequently with Luca Marmorini.
By 2013, Binotto had become Head of the Engine Department. In July 2016 he was appointed Chief Technical Officer of Ferrari, replacing James Allison in one of the sport's most prominent technical roles. His two years as CTO coincided with a resurgence in Ferrari's race-winning competitiveness. In January 2019 he was promoted to Team Principal, replacing Maurizio Arrivabene at the head of the organisation.
Binotto's tenure as team principal was marked by competitive periods alongside significant difficulties, including internal restructuring and the challenges posed by the 2020 season. He announced his resignation in November 2022 and left the team on 31 December of that year, closing a 27-year chapter at Maranello.
Following his departure from Ferrari, Binotto spent 2023 working as a consultant for TEXA (Tecnologie Elettroniche X Automotive), a Treviso-based company specialising in automotive diagnostic technology.
On 1 August 2024, Binotto was announced as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer of Sauber Motorsport, joining the Swiss team as it began its formal transition toward becoming the Audi Formula One Team from the 2026 season. He replaced both Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffman in a combined leadership role.
When Team Representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi departed at the end of January 2025, Binotto served as interim Team Principal of Sauber for the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix before Jonathan Wheatley joined as Team Principal from 1 April 2025. On 5 May 2025, Binotto's remit was expanded to Head of the Audi F1 Project, giving him oversight of development at Hinwil, Neuburg an der Donau, and a planned new technical centre in England.
Wheatley's departure from the team was announced on 20 March 2026 for personal reasons, and Binotto assumed the Team Principal responsibilities. On 24 April 2026, Audi formalised his position with the title of CEO and Team Principal, with newly appointed Racing Director Allan McNish reporting to him. In the combined CEO and Team Principal role, Binotto holds responsibility for aligning the team's power unit development in Neuburg with chassis operations in Hinwil and Bicester.
Binotto's career arc — from a Ferrari test-team engineer in 1995 to the CEO and Team Principal overseeing Audi's Formula One entry — spans three decades at the apex of the sport. His 27 years at Ferrari covered its most successful era under Michael Schumacher, and his leadership of the Audi F1 project places him at the centre of the most significant new manufacturer commitment to Formula One since the mid-2000s.
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