Charles Leclerc finished the Spanish Formula 1 GP in fourth place with Ferrari, while Lewis Hamilton retired after a brake system problem. For Leclerc, the result was within the possible limit, on a track where overtaking is especially difficult.
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The team decided to split strategies, putting Leclerc on hard tires and Hamilton on softs. The Monegasque did a very long first stint, maintaining a good pace while Ferrari waited for a possible Safety Car intervention or even a red flag.
“We did a good job with the strategy, playing our cards according to our situation,” said Leclerc. The expectation was that a late neutralization could create an opportunity to advance, but that did not happen, and the Monegasque driver assessed that Ferrari extracted the maximum possible from the car.
Fred Vasseur, team principal, explained that the choice to extend Leclerc’s first stint was deliberate. According to him, a red flag could put Ferrari in a position to fight for the win, while a late Safety Car could open a possibility to reach third place.
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“A red flag could put us in a position to fight for the win, while a Safety Car could give us a chance to get third,” highlighted Vasseur, who considered the attempt valid even without the expected scenario materializing.
On the other side of the garage, Hamilton had his race ended quickly by a brake system failure. The Briton thanked the team’s work during the weekend and regretted the retirement, while Vasseur stated that Ferrari has not yet identified the exact cause of the problem and will conduct a detailed investigation.
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