Fred Vasseur reveals real Ferrari ‘issue’ amid strategy scrutiny

Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Fred Vasseur has defended his side’s much-criticised strategy at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Ferrari enjoyed a strong start to the first race of F1’s new era as Charles Leclerc snatched the lead from pole-sitter George Russell on the run to Turn 1, before the pair engaged in a thrilling scrap at the front.

Lewis Hamilton also capitalised on a fast start to run third as the seven-time world champion applied pressure to the dicing Russell and Leclerc, who exchanged the lead six times in the first 10 laps.

But Ferrari’s decision not to pit under an early virtual safety car, while Mercedes, and the majority of the grid did. 

The strategy call raised questions, even from its drivers, with Hamilton bemoaning over team radio: "At least one of us should have come in!” 

Ferrari missed the chance to pit its cars during a second VSC on lap 19 when Valtteri Bottas stopped near the pit entry, which was closed before the Scuderia could box Leclerc or Hamilton.

The call effectively handed control of the race to Mercedes, with Russell heading a comfortable Silver Arrows one-two as Leclerc and Hamilton were left to settle with third and fourth.

“We have to be realistic with this, they were eight tenths faster than us yesterday, we fight like hell at the beginning,” Vasseur explained to media including Crash.net in his post-race debrief.

“Now I think at this stage of the race, nobody was expecting to be one stop. We targeted the optimum for us, and the optimum was to extend. We were also surprised by the life of the tyres. I think we could have done 300 laps today!

“But it is like it is, I think they [Mercedes] still had, during the race, a delta of performance with us. The issue is not the strategy or the core, it's just the pure pace.”

Asked if Ferrari could have beaten Mercedes if it had matched Russell’s strategy, Vasseur replied: “I think the pace of Mercedes was better than us. Even when they pitted they were there or four tenths faster than us and they kept this pace all the stint.

“Ok, probably we were able to fight a little bit more at the beginning but perhaps pushing a bit more on the tyres and I have no regrets on the strategy, no regrets on the pace of today. We did a decent step compared to yesterday and let's be focused on China.”

Ferrari has ‘long list of improvements’ after positive start

Despite facing claims that Ferrari blundered its strategy, Vasseur was pleased with his team’s recovery on Sunday after a difficult qualifying had left Leclerc and Hamilton fourth and seventh on the grid and nearly a second off the pace.

However, Vasseur stressed Ferrari still has “a very long list of improvement” to make if it is to take the fight to Mercedes in the championship this year.

“The feeling is more positive than something else,” Vasseur said in response to a question by Crash.net.

“We had a tough Saturday, I think we didn't put everything together yesterday. We were eight tenths off, it was quite tough, but we recovered part of this today. It's good to have two cars fighting also at the top.

"We know that we have a very long list of improvement, but it's true for us, it's true for everybody on the grid, and the result of the season and the season will be based on the capacity that we have to develop, to bring upgrades, to produce quickly, and this will be key for the season, for everybody on the grid.

“Now I prefer to start the season in a good shape than in a bad shape, but it's still a long way to go.”