Ferrari left the Netherlands with more than a few regrets after missing the podium at Zandvoort. Carlo Vanzini has analysed some of the decisions made by the pit wall, focusing particularly on the management of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton and the handful of seconds that, in such a closely fought Formula 1 race, could have changed the final outcome.
According to Carlo Vanzini, one of the key moments came when Ferrari had to decide when to bring Charles Leclerc into the pits. He believes an earlier call could have prevented the Monegasque driver from holding up Lewis Hamilton, potentially giving the seven-time world champion a better opportunity to fight for the podium.
Carlo Vanzini questions Ferrari’s pit timing at Zandvoort
“There were some very delicate moments that were decided in the space of just a few seconds. Ferrari could have called Charles Leclerc in earlier, preventing him from slowing Lewis Hamilton down. Lewis Hamilton lost a few seconds there that could have mattered in the fight for the podium. With an immediate call, Charles Leclerc might also have had the chance to gain the position over George Russell. In the end, they probably could both have come away with something more.”
The assessment centres on one of the most important strategic phases of Ferrari’s Dutch Grand Prix race. Carlo Vanzini did not suggest that a different call would definitely have produced a podium, but argued that the timing may have cost Lewis Hamilton valuable seconds while also limiting Charles Leclerc’s own opportunity to improve his position relative to George Russell.
With the gaps so small, the sequence illustrates how a decision made within a few moments can affect both cars. In Carlo Vanzini’s view, Ferrari potentially had an opportunity to manage the situation in a way that gave both drivers a better chance of extracting more from the race.
Charles Leclerc’s restart was another missed podium opportunity
Carlo Vanzini then turned his attention to Charles Leclerc’s restart, identifying another moment in which Ferrari may have allowed a potential podium opportunity to slip away. This time, however, the focus was less on the pit wall and more on what happened on the track.
“I’m not a big fan of looking at Formula 1 only through the data. Let’s also look at the restart: Charles Leclerc had a genuine chance to fight for the podium, but he did not make the most of it on the red-marked tyre and was passed by Oscar Piastri. The Australian, despite a difficult race and little pace on the white-marked tyre, still managed to take advantage.”
For Carlo Vanzini, the Dutch Grand Prix therefore cannot be assessed purely through numbers and strategic calculations. The restart also represented an important opportunity for Charles Leclerc, but Oscar Piastri was able to capitalise despite having experienced a difficult race and lacking pace on the white-marked tyre.
Ferrari’s regrets at Zandvoort consequently concern more than one isolated decision. Carlo Vanzini’s analysis points both to the timing of the pit-wall calls and to a restart opportunity that was not fully exploited, with only a few seconds and key moments ultimately separating the Scuderia from a potentially stronger Dutch Grand Prix result.
