Ferrari must “understand what went wrong” after Australian GP strategy blunder

Ferrari staff principal Frederic Vasseur has admitted the Scuderia made a mistake in leaving its drivers out on slick tyres for therefore lengthy when a bathe disrupted the late phases of Components 1’s Australian Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have been working in fifth and eighth, 42 laps into an eventful mixed-weather race, because the rain returned.

Leclerc was overtaken by Yuki Tsunoda the subsequent time round, then spun on lap 44, which value him seven seconds in comparison with Hamilton – moments earlier than most opponents pitted for intermediate tyres.

Others, together with Max Verstappen and the Ferrari vehicles, tried to complete the race on slick tyres, however the downpour stored intensifying, which led Crimson Bull to pit Verstappen on lap 46 – as did Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Haas’ Esteban Ocon – with no apparent time loss.

Hamilton, Leclerc and Tsunoda nonetheless persevered for yet one more lap, however elevated rainfall meant they ended up eighth, ninth and tenth after their respective tyre modifications.

The Monegasque finally overtook his team-mate for eighth, whereas the Briton additionally misplaced ninth place to Oscar Piastri and scored a solitary level.

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“The result’s destructive, that’s not what we got here for,” Vasseur admitted, talking to Canal+ after the race.

“First, in qualifying, we didn’t put every thing collectively, and I believe our tempo was significantly better than the consequence we bought,” the Frenchman added, as Leclerc and Hamilton certified seventh and eighth respectively with 0.659s and 0.877s deficits to polesitter and eventual winner Lando Norris.

“Then, at this time, the technique was not simple – we made the fallacious name on the finish. Let’s face it; we tried to remain out like Max, to outlive with slicks when it began to rain, as a result of we thought – mistakenly – that the bathe wasn’t going to final that lengthy. Had this labored out, it could have been pretty, but it surely didn’t! That’s it, we misplaced.

“We should not try to blame somebody however try to know what went fallacious in our decision-making system. The gamble was good, however we should always have pitted one lap earlier – like Max.”

Ferrari is simply seventh within the constructors’ standings following the primary grand prix of the season, with a five-point tally – Williams, Aston Martin and Sauber all collected extra in Melbourne.

“There are 23 races left and we now have to look ahead,” Vasseur insisted. “The tempo we confirmed on Friday – be it on a qualifying lap or lengthy runs – was good, and that’s what we have to construct our season on, not on a method name that wasn’t the fitting one on the finish of the race.”