A (finally) high-level teamwork between driver and pit wall: here’s how Charles Leclerc and Ferrari put together the one-stop strategy.
In the very early stages of the Japanese Grand Prix, after the second start, Xavier Marcos opened the radio communication by instructing Charles Leclerc to follow Plan A. “We’re on Plan A,” says the Spaniard.
Oscar Piastri’s pit stop is the first variable that shakes things up for Ferrari. One lap after the Australian’s pit stop, Charles Leclerc suggests a first alternative. “Suggestion: Plan B,” states #16, to which Marcos responds, “Received.”
Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso also pits, and as Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz make their stops, “Suggestion: Plan C” is Charles Leclerc’s new proposal. Marcos’ response at that point confirms the abandonment of the original plan and the adoption, at least up to that point, of the idea of Plan B. “At the moment, we’re on Plan B and considering Plan C,” says the Ferrari race engineer.
After assessing the situation at the pit wall, Marcos reopens communication and informs Charles Leclerc of the decision made: “We believe Plan B is the best option but with the tires from Plan A.” Charles Leclerc wants to discuss it and counters, asking “why?”; Marcos’ response arrives: “The hard tires are slower than expected compared to the Mercedes.”
The key to the race: Leclerc repays the team’s trust
To Marcos’ technical response, Charles Leclerc confirms his good feelings and the good pace of his Ferrari: “But our pace is good now, right?” Ferrari is at a crossroads, and Marcos is clear: “If we want to go for Plan C, we cannot waste time with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris behind.”
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Charles Leclerc begins to string together some excellent laps without damaging the tires, thanks to his and the SF-24’s qualities. Letting Max Verstappen pass as requested, Charles Leclerc makes a mistake on Sergio Perez (who had meanwhile passed Norris) and at the end of the lap, he pits, thus catching up with Norris’ stops and, most importantly, gaining position from him.
Several factors were crucial for the execution of this strategy. Charles Leclerc’s willingness to opt for the one-stop was undoubtedly decisive.
Equally crucial was the trust the team placed in Charles Leclerc, deciding to go along with his choice, despite the strategy not being ideal, in fact, it was the least indicated before the race (showing that Ferrari does not rely solely on data).
For this to happen, Charles Leclerc had to drive consistently and competitively without either tearing the tire or losing time with the already stopped pursuers. The Monegasque indeed minimized the time lost when attacked by Max Verstappen (lap time: 1:28.203) and circulated with times between 1:37.8 and 1:38.0 (including a 1:37.5 and a 1:37.6), without wearing out the tires.
Ferrari trusts Charles Leclerc
One aspect worth mentioning is Charles Leclerc’s ability to read the race events. Starting from eighth place on a track where overtaking is difficult and finishing a few seconds off the podium is no easy feat.
By proposing an alternative strategy, Charles Leclerc demonstrated (once again) his ability to lead the team. The facts narrate that his execution was impeccable, and facts are the best way to respond to criticism. Of course, to execute it, the Maranello team’s support was necessary, but there must be a reason why Ferrari relies, is relying, and will rely on Charles Leclerc.
Source: f1ingenerale
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