Ferrari’s Frederic Vasseur Reveals Reason Behind Leclerc’s Ill-Timed Pit Stop at British Grand Prix
In a post-race analysis, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has shed light on the strategic blunder that cost Charles Leclerc valuable time during Formula 1’s British Grand Prix. Speaking to the media, Vasseur attributed the decision to pit Leclerc for Intermediate tyres on Lap 19 to the driver’s track position at the time.
Leclerc had made a strong start, gaining three places to slot in behind teammate Carlos Sainz. However, he soon found himself stuck behind Lance Stroll’s slow Aston Martin, unable to overtake until Lap 13. As the Monegasque driver struggled to catch up with the leading pack, Ferrari opted to take a gamble on the impending rain, pitting him for Intermediates. Unfortunately, the track conditions had not deteriorated enough, and Leclerc ended up losing significant time that he was unable to recover.
“We are giving them information, and we are proposing the call, the fact that at one stage they have to pit, and they have to do the last call,” Vasseur explained. “On this situation, and I discussed with Charles, for sure we can be disappointed when you see the result at the end, but first, it’s clear that it was not the right call, or the right decision.”
Vasseur defended the team’s strategy, saying that the decision was “on the edge” of being correct. However, he acknowledged that Leclerc’s position on the track played a significant role in the team’s decision-making process. Vasseur also pointed out that the team’s aggressive strategy was prompted by Leclerc’s deficit to Sainz, which stood at 10-15 seconds at the time.
“Consciously or unconsciously, you know that the only way to come back and to fight for the podium is to be a bit aggressive into the decision,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sainz capitalised on McLaren’s decision not to double-stack their cars, seizing fourth place from Oscar Piastri. However, Piastri executed a clever undercut during the crossover back to slicks late in the race to reclaim the position, leaving Ferrari’s deficit too great to overcome.
Vasseur absolved the pit wall of blame, emphasizing that drivers must take control of strategic calls in mixed conditions.
“On these conditions, quite often it’s the driver who is in control of the situation,” he reiterated. “Because what we can give, if it’s more than one lap, you have the lap time of the others. But if it’s one lap too late or one lap too early, we can give them indication about the situation.”
In Formula 1 today, strategic calls can make all the difference in the outcome of a race. Ferrari’s mistake serves as a reminder that even the smallest miscalculation can have significant consequences. Looking ahead, the team will be keen to regroup and focus on the next race, with Leclerc aiming to bounce back from his disappointing result.
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