JUST IN: Ferrari Team Principal Vasseur Explains Decision-Making Process Behind Hamilton and Leclerc’s On-Track Swap
Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur has shed light on the thought process behind the decision to swap Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s positions during the Miami Grand Prix. The move, which was made in an effort to capitalize on Hamilton’s pace and potentially catch Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, ultimately proved unsuccessful.
As the race entered its latter stages, Hamilton, who was running on medium tires, found himself behind Leclerc, who was on the hard compound. Hamilton, feeling that he had the pace to catch Antonelli, requested to be let by, but the team took their time to assess the situation, leading to Hamilton’s frustration over the radio.
Vasseur explained that the team was trying to understand the factors behind the difference in pace between Leclerc and Hamilton, particularly whether Hamilton’s pace was due to the DRS effect or not. This assessment took around one and a half laps, after which the team decided to swap the positions.
However, when Hamilton was unable to reach Antonelli, the team reversed the decision, and Leclerc was told to retake his original position. Hamilton, who had not been informed of the decision, eventually followed the order when it was relayed to him.
Vasseur acknowledged that the decision-making process may have seemed slow, but emphasized that the team was trying to make an informed decision. “It didn’t take so long – it was one lap and a half or something like this,” Vasseur said. “And when you have two cars not with the same strategy, the first thing for me to understand [is] if it’s faster when you are behind due to the DRS or not.”
Vasseur also addressed the conversation between Leclerc and the team about reversing the positions, in which Leclerc suggested that the team should “talk about it later.” Vasseur explained that this was due to the team’s policy of respecting the initial position of the drivers if the swap does not yield the desired result.
The Ferrari Team Principal also acknowledged Hamilton’s frustration, saying that he could understand why the seven-time World Champion was annoyed. “I had a discussion with Lewis, and I can perfectly understand the frustration,” Vasseur said. “They are champions, they want to win races. We are asking them to let their teammate go. It’s not easy.”
Ultimately, Vasseur emphasized that the team’s decision-making process was driven by their desire to optimize their strategy and achieve the best possible result. While the swap may not have yielded the desired outcome, Vasseur believes that the team made the right call in trying to capitalize on Hamilton’s pace.
