Ferrari leaves Melbourne with disappointment, and it’s clear that the changes made over the weekend that hindered the SF-25 were not designed with a wet race in mind, or at least not solely for that reason.
The eighth and tenth positions obtained by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are a worse result than Ferrari could have hoped for at Albert Park due to a strategic mistake in the final part of the race, when both cars stayed out as the rain arrived.
The rain suggested the use of intermediate tires—predictions indicated this, and every team had informed their drivers of incoming rain at levels 2 or 3, meaning heavy rain—but Ferrari chose to take a risk in an attempt to address the car’s lack of performance.
As we saw, the gamble did not pay off. Charles Leclerc, who spoke to Sky Sport at the end of the race, summed up the Australian GP, not hiding his disappointment with a season start far below his and the Maranello team’s expectations.
“It was a difficult race. There is something we need to look at and improve. It always seems easier from the outside to give judgments, but every situation has its specifics. However, it’s a fact that we struggled more every time we encountered these conditions. We know this, we’re aware of it, and we are focusing on that more than on other areas.” – he pointed out.
Charles Leclerc didn’t point the finger at the team but instead took responsibility for a spin at turn 11 while on slick tires and heavy rain fell at Albert Park. In his view, without that ‘360°’, he could have finished on the podium or near the top three positions. But it’s unlikely, considering where Hamilton finished, who had passed him at that point.
“Today didn’t go well, but I think before talking about team mistakes, I need to talk about my mistake, which was the most significant. I lost the car coming out of turn 11 and dropped 4-5 positions. I think in the end, I could have finished third or fourth. We would have discussed the race differently. I don’t have much more to add. We need to work and do better. I’m disappointed, and certainly, for the first race, I expected much better.”
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Charles Leclerc’s final words, looking to the future, are not very optimistic. The next GP in China could be another tough challenge for Ferrari. In 2024, the Scuderia struggled a lot, and a similar scenario may unfold this year. At least the Asian circuit will provide more reliable feedback.
“We will be in the car in four days, and I hope we can make up for it. It will be important to react quickly. Unfortunately, we’re going to China, and it’s certainly not a friendliest track for us. Last year we struggled a lot, but it’s a real track, and we need to do better. We will work from here to try to improve, looking ahead.” – the Monegasque driver concluded.
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