Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has admitted his staff made “the improper name” in leaving their drivers out on slick tyres when late rain hit within the F1 Australian Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had been working fifth and eighth respectively when a sudden heavy rain downpour hit the Albert Park observe. Whereas most drivers instantly headed to the pits to alter again onto intermediate tyres, the 2 Ferraris stayed out on hards.
Max Verstappen additionally initially stayed out however was shortly known as in to field for wets by his Crimson Bull staff.
Hamilton and Leclerc briefly ran first and second earlier than being overtaken by Lando Norris, who had switched onto inters, and seemed to be in podium competition, however when the rain intensified it grew to become clear Ferrari’s technique gamble had backfired.
Ferrari known as each their drivers into the pits on Lap 47, by which level the race had been neutralised by a Security Automotive following crashes for Gabriel Bortoleto and Liam Lawson.
Leclerc and Hamilton subsequently dropped to ninth and tenth locations within the Security Automotive queue after they emerged again on observe following their late pit stops.
Explaining the pondering behind the choice, Ferrari staff principal Vasseur stated: “It was an odd scenario as a result of sector one and two had been nonetheless dry and sector three was fully moist and it was a sort of a guess I believe that Crimson Bull and us, we guess on the truth that now we have to remain on observe and to attend for the final a part of the race with slicks.
“When Mercedes and McLaren, however McLaren it is also as a result of they went out that they pitted two laps earlier than. We made the improper name as a result of I believe the most suitable choice was to pit the identical lap as Max and we made the improper name at this stage.”
Leclerc managed to achieve a spot to complete eighth, whereas Hamilton might solely take tenth after being overtaken by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri on the ultimate lap.
Ferrari communication beneath the highlight
Ferrari’s drivers appeared to obtain conflicting messages concerning the quantity of rain that might hit Melbourne.
Whereas Leclerc was warned of “class three” rain approaching the circuit, Hamilton seemed to be shocked concerning the climate in an alternate with new race engineer Ricardo Adami.
“I believed you stated it wasn’t going to rain a lot? We simply missed an enormous alternative there,” Hamilton lamented over staff radio.
Vasseur was requested concerning the obvious confusion at Ferrari.
“Sure, however that is very troublesome that we do not have a sensor for the rain, it signifies that it is extra a sense, it is what we are able to see on the display screen, what we are able to have on the radar, it is true from nook to nook,” he stated.
“I believe we had been all shocked by the amount of rain at this stage of the race, McLaren first, and now we did debate to remain on observe with the slicks and to outlive, however it was the improper name.”
