There are plenty of things Ferrari can be criticized for this season, as has often been the case over the years. The project was not competitive from the very beginning, the introduction of the Macarena front wing could have been handled differently, and the Brembo-related issue could also have been managed better. The deeper you look, the more examples you find of things that were not executed perfectly.
However, through the first nine races of the Formula 1 season, there is one area where Ferrari has done far more than simply perform well. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say the team has been exceptional. Driver management has been nothing short of flawless so far.
The pit wall also played a major role in the victories in Spain and Great Britain
Barcelona provided the first truly positive example of Ferrari taking a significant step forward compared to the past. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton approached the race on different strategies, and when Hamilton caught up to his Monegasque teammate on fresher tyres, the Ferrari pit wall did not hesitate for even a moment in deciding what the right call was. Leclerc also deserves enormous credit, immediately allowing his teammate through without creating the slightest obstacle.
The same philosophy was applied at Silverstone, the home race of the seven-time world champion. At no point did Ferrari’s engineers in Maranello seriously consider swapping the positions of Leclerc and Hamilton, not even during the early stages of the race when such an opportunity existed. There were several reasons why they could have done so. With Hamilton still theoretically in the championship fight, the team might have been tempted to let him control the race and try to secure victory.
Yet even in that situation, with the roles reversed compared to Barcelona, it was always clear that Charles Leclerc was the quicker of the two drivers on track. The decision to let them race freely ultimately proved to be the correct one. Charles Leclerc went on to win the race, while Lewis Hamilton, who was also somewhat unlucky with the timing of the Safety Car, crossed the finish line in third place.
Ferrari is finally getting the best out of its drivers
Ferrari managed to maximize its result on both occasions because it never lost sight of the strengths of its two drivers. The team has consistently allowed both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to perform at their full potential without creating unnecessary obstacles or internal complications.
It is an approach that Ferrari fans have not witnessed in a very long time, and for that reason alone it deserves significant praise. While there are still areas in which the Scuderia must improve, its management of the driver pairing has become one of the team’s greatest strengths, playing an important role in the victories achieved so far this season.
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