Ferrari had all the cards in hand to aim for victory in Australia. But the decision not to take advantage of the two virtual safety cars continues to spark numerous criticisms.
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The Australian Grand Prix seemed to start well for Ferrari at the Melbourne circuit. Charles Leclerc, starting fourth on the grid, made a perfect start to take the lead from the first corner. For his part, Lewis Hamilton also made an excellent start, moving up from seventh to third position by the end of the first lap.
The two Scuderia drivers quickly found themselves around George Russell’s Mercedes, creating constant pressure on the Briton. Stuck between the two Ferraris, Russell had to both defend his position and try to attack, which considerably complicated his energy management.
But the race scenario shifted during the first two virtual safety cars triggered in the early laps of the event. Ferrari chose not to pit its two drivers, unlike Mercedes which immediately called in George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
This strategic choice cost the Italian team dearly. When Ferrari finally made its stops, they took place under normal racing conditions, which resulted in the loss of several precious seconds against the Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok points to an overly cautious strategy
Former Formula 1 driver Karun Chandhok did not hide his disappointment with the strategy adopted by Ferrari. According to him, the Scuderia had a sufficiently competitive car to attempt a bolder gamble.
“For me, Ferrari was a bit disappointing strategically. The cars seemed competitive, perhaps even more than expected, but the team was not bold enough during the first virtual safety car” he explains.
For Chandhok, Ferrari should have seized this opportunity to try something different, even if it involved a certain risk.
“I was disappointed they didn’t take the gamble. Even while leading, trying to go very long on the hard tires would have meant doing a 46-lap stint. Others managed it.”
An opportunity to aim for victory
According to the former driver, Ferrari should have taken more risks to try and fight for victory against Mercedes.
“At worst, they would have finished third and fourth. So why not take the risk and try to go for the win, or at least fight George directly?”
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As long as the two Ferraris surrounded Russell’s Mercedes, he had to use his energy less optimally to both defend and attack.
For Chandhok, Ferrari’s strategy ultimately offered a considerable strategic advantage to Mercedes. Once he had pitted, George Russell found himself with clean air ahead of him.
“As long as the two Ferraris were in the battle against a single Mercedes, George could never really place his battery in the ideal zone” Chandhok analyzes.
But the situation completely changed after Russell’s pit stop: “By not stopping, Ferrari gave him the opportunity to come back out on track with clean air. He then had a few laps to get the battery back into the ideal window and adjust the car’s balance.”
A different decision possible for Hamilton
Chandhok acknowledges, however, that the situation was not identical for the two Ferrari drivers during the second virtual safety car, triggered after Valtteri Bottas’ retirement.
According to him, Charles Leclerc was too close to the pit entry to be able to react immediately. On the other hand, Ferrari could still have tried something with Lewis Hamilton.
“During the second virtual safety car, Leclerc was probably too close to the pit entry. But when Bottas’ Cadillac stopped, they could have anticipated the neutralization and called Lewis.”
He believes Ferrari had a few extra seconds to make that decision: “They might have had two, three, or even four seconds of margin to do it.”
In the end, this cautious strategy continues to fuel debates in the paddock, with some believing that Ferrari missed a rare opportunity to play for the win in the first race of the season.
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