Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur insists he has “no regrets” about the team’s questionable strategy call at the Australian Grand Prix – insisting they targeted the “optimum option.”
Mercedes pitted both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli and saved time by doing so under the virtual safety car on lap 12 while Ferrari, who had Charles Leclerc in the lead and Lewis Hamilton third, kept both their men out.
Leclerc did not pit until lap 25 of the 58-lap race while Hamilton only pitted after Russell had overtaken him for the lead on lap 28. Ultimately, Russell won comfortably with Antonelli in second, while the Scuderia had to settle for third and fourth.
Hamilton was aghast with the decision during the race – though was more restrained in the media pen afterwards – and Vasseur explained that he did not think Mercedes could go to the end of the race after pitting that early.
“I think at this stage of the race, nobody was expecting to do a one-stop,” he told the written media in Melbourne. “We targeted the optimum option, and the optimum was to extend.
“Now we’re also a bit surprised with the life in the tyres for Mercedes… but I think the pace of Mercedes was better than ours.”
Ferrari started strongly, with Leclerc storming into first from fourth and Hamilton in third, having started seventh.
Leclerc and Russell battled for the lead in a thrilling opening 10 laps before the VSC swung the momentum of the race back in Mercedes’ favour.
“I have no regret on the strategy,” Vasseur concluded.
“With the second VSC, we were a bit unlucky as the pit lane entry was closed when we could have pitted. It is what it is and now we are focusing on the next race.
“For the sport this was a very good race. There were some pessimistic comments about this new Formula 1 going into the season and I think today’s race start and then the first ten laps were the most exciting we have witnessed in the past ten years and not just because we were in front!
“We can be positive, because we know where we need to improve, even if we know it will be a challenge.”
F1 next heads to China, where Ferrari had a disastrous double disqualification last time out. The Scuderia are still searching for their first win since October 2024.
