F1 expert outlines two strategies Ferrari missed to turn Lewis Hamilton into tactical weapon against Verstappen in Monaco

Lewis Hamilton’s Monaco GP Strategy Sparks Debate as Ferrari Miss Chance to Pressure Verstappen

Lewis Hamilton walked away from the Monaco Grand Prix feeling deflated after a promising start turned into a missed opportunity for both himself and Ferrari. Despite qualifying fourth, the seven-time world champion began the race from seventh following a three-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen during Q1. Ferrari’s radio exchanges revealed that Hamilton had attempted to avoid any infringement, but confusion over team communication ultimately played a role in the incident.

That trend of miscommunication persisted during the race itself. On more than one occasion, Hamilton sought clarity from his engineer, Riccardo Adami, regarding the gap to the car in front, only to receive conflicting updates. These communication lapses were just one element of a Monaco Grand Prix that left many wondering whether Ferrari had squandered a tactical edge.

F1 analysts Jolyon Palmer and Alex Brundle, speaking on F1 TV, examined Ferrari’s decision-making and suggested the Scuderia had missed two clear chances to use the British driver more effectively—particularly to apply pressure on Max Verstappen and the McLarens during the strategic stages of the race which was held at the 3.337-kilometre Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo last Sunday.

Jolyon Palmer: Ferrari Missed Key Moment to Force Red Bull’s Hand

Hamilton eventually climbed to fifth place following Fernando Alonso’s mid-race retirement and by extending his first stint long enough to leapfrog Isack Hadjar. However, Ferrari opted to fit Hamilton with used medium tyres for the final run, a decision that left him lapping roughly two seconds slower than the front-runners. Palmer argued this was a strategic misstep, especially considering Verstappen delayed his pit stop until the final lap.

Palmer believed that had Hamilton been closer, Ferrari could have forced Verstappen to cover the undercut by pitting earlier. This, in turn, might have reshuffled the race order near the front.

He explained that Verstappen had been deliberately backing Lando Norris into Leclerc, helping Ferrari’s lead driver apply pressure on the McLaren. But in the event of a late red flag, Verstappen would have benefitted unless Hamilton had been close enough to force Red Bull’s hand. Despite the tyre disadvantage, Palmer maintained that Hamilton showed enough pace to at least pose a threat to the Dutchman.

Alex Brundle: Ferrari Lacked Flexibility to Counter McLaren Strategy

With a new two-stop rule introduced specifically for Monaco to enhance strategy variation, teams were expected to benefit from increased tactical depth. However, Jenson Button criticized how teams used secondary cars to manufacture pit windows, suggesting the regulation had been exploited rather than followed in spirit.

Alex Brundle echoed that sentiment and emphasized that Hamilton could have given Ferrari more strategic options against McLaren. As Lando Norris led the field and Charles Leclerc tried to mount an attack, Alex Brundle noted that having Hamilton positioned further forward would have opened up more possibilities for Ferrari to counter McLaren’s decisions.

However, Alex Brundle pointed out two key reasons why that never materialized. First, Lewis Hamilton’s compromised grid position left him too far back. Second, even during the more aggressive race phases when the top four were pushing, the Briton struggled to match their pace consistently.

Ferrari, who are still chasing a spot in the top three of the Constructors’ Championship following a challenging start to the season, may find some solace in their overall speed at Monaco. Despite low pre-race expectations, Charles Leclerc’s front-running performance showed that the SF-24 can be competitive on street circuits. Yet, with better execution and sharper strategy involving both cars, the team could have done even more.