After a wait that lasted since the Australian Grand Prix, Ferrari has returned to success in England, but the victory obtained today by Carlos Sainz has a bitter taste.
In a race where Max Verstappen was immediately delayed by problems, only to finish in seventh position, the Maranello team once again seemed uncertain in managing the strategy, eventually penalizing Charles Leclerc.
The Monegasque, on the occasion of the second start, had defended third position with his teeth, even coming to the clash with Perez’s Red Bull and then damaging the right bulkhead of the front wing losing it completely.
The damage, however, did not prevent Leclerc from pushing and showing on the track a much higher pace than that of his teammate.
When Verstappen suddenly slowed down due to a tire problem after hitting debris, Leclerc was immediately in the wake of Sainz and a long radio conversation began between the Scuderia drivers and the pit wall.
Logica would have liked that the best placed driver in the championship would have been favored by asking the Spaniard to leave the road, but that was not the case. Several laps passed before Sainz was called into the pits while behind the Ferrari duo Lewis Hamilton was gaining tenths of tenths.
The situation then worsened when the safety car called into question entered the track to allow the commissioners to remove Esteban Ocon’s Alpine still standing. On this occasion the Maranello team made another strategic mistake by deciding to leave Leclerc on the track with the hard bikes and let Sainz enter the pits – imitated by Hamilton, Perez and Alonso – to mount a train of soft.
At that moment it was understood that the Monegasque’s match would be scored. At the restart Leclerc suffered in traction and Sainz took the first position by force, leaving his teammate at the mercy of Hamilton and Perez.
The fight with the Mexican and the Mercedes driver was spectacular, and once again showed all the immense talent of the Monegasque, but in the end Leclerc had to raise the white flag and settle for fourth position.
A disappointment also appeared on Leclerc’s face at the end of the race. When Charles showed up in the interview ring he was very good at remaining diplomatic despite his anger at a result below expectations.
“It was still a race where the final result was missing. I did everything, and I think it showed in the defenses in the final. I don’t know what I could have done more ”.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari F1-75, wrestling with Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Leclerc then criticized without hiding the strategic choice of the Ferrari wall to leave it on the track when the safety car intervened on the track.
“I was the first car behind the safety car and I didn’t stop. Obviously it wasn’t the right decision for me ”.
At the end of the race, the cameras framed Mattia Binotto who was trying to calm his rightly angry driver back to rest. A scene that would have been preferable not to be fed to the cameras but which should have taken place in the intimacy of the Red motorhome.
Even in this case, Leclerc maintained all his diplomacy in front of the microphones of the press, underlining, however, his frustration for fourth place.
“I’m nobody to ask Ferrari for clarification, but it was a frustrating race and I have the impression that I have lost some time compared to my optimal pace, especially in the first stints.”
“Today, however, we have to celebrate Carlos’ first victory and I would not want attention to be turned to my disappointment. This special moment must be underlined, but for my part I cannot hide my disappointment ”.
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