Ferrari found themselves stuck in an awkward and challenging position during the Austrian Grand Prix, despite their drivers securing third and fourth place finishes on the track, which on paper appeared to be a solid result. Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were unable to effectively challenge the leading McLaren cars, driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, because their engineers instructed them to lift and coast early in the race. While lifting and coasting is a common and well-known technique used by drivers to conserve fuel and manage tire wear during the initial stages of a Grand Prix weekend, it is widely believed that Ferrari’s primary motivation was to reduce excessive wear on their skid blocks, an issue that has been causing significant concern within the team.
This cautious and somewhat conservative approach stems from Ferrari’s recent disqualification at the Chinese Grand Prix due to excessive plank wear, forcing the team to carefully manage this technical regulation issue until a planned upgrade arrives at the British Grand Prix, which is expected to resolve the problem once and for all and allow them to push harder on track without fear of penalties.
Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula 1 World Champion and racing analyst, speaking on his Instagram page, highlighted one particular aspect he found ‘odd’ and noteworthy regarding the communication between Ferrari’s team and their drivers throughout the season, which he believes could be improved for better results and driver morale.
Jacques Villeneuve criticizes Ferrari’s ‘odd’ communication with their drivers
Ferrari has faced considerable criticism over the course of the Formula 1 season for its radio communications, often noted for being either vague, unclear, or showing a lack of responsiveness to the feedback from their drivers during critical race moments. Lewis Hamilton, in particular, was involved in a tense and somewhat public exchange with his race engineer Ricciardo Adami concerning a pit stop he did not want to make near the race’s conclusion. Villeneuve described this incident as unusual and somewhat concerning for the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion.
Jacques Villeneuve commented on the race overall, emphasizing the competitive nature of the event: he acknowledged the McLaren team’s strong performance, with their drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri engaged in a fierce and exciting battle until the very last lap. He also noted how the McLaren team had to calm down Lando Norris at one point when his aggression seemed to go a bit too far and risked unnecessary incidents. Despite this, Villeneuve praised the overall spectacle and racing drama.
Regarding Ferrari’s performance in Austria, he acknowledged that both drivers delivered strong and respectable results, but once again pointed out the questionable and sometimes problematic communication between the engineers and their drivers during the race weekend. He recalled similar issues with Charles Leclerc during the Montreal Grand Prix, then with Lewis Hamilton at this recent Austrian Grand Prix, calling this recurring communication problem ‘a little bit odd’ and something that Ferrari should seriously address.
Jacques Villeneuve on Kimi Antonelli’s crash with Max Verstappen and Turn 3
Max Verstappen suffered a significant and costly setback in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship after a crash on the third corner of the Austrian Grand Prix, caused by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the young Mercedes junior driver. This incident left Max Verstappen over 50 points behind Oscar Piastri in the title standings, a considerable gap at this stage of the season. The Mercedes junior driver made a rookie mistake, but Villeneuve argued that Andrea Kimi Antonelli should have been familiar with the tricky uphill hairpin at the Red Bull Ring, which is well known for its challenging braking zone.
Jacques Villeneuve pointed out that, since Antonelli had competed in the Formula 2 Championship at this very circuit, he should have known how the corner required careful navigation and slowing down. Nonetheless, the former Formula 1 driver also acknowledged that even experienced and highly skilled drivers have fallen victim to this mistake at the same corner in the past and expressed confidence that Andrea Kimi Antonelli will learn from this experience and improve as his career progresses.
He further praised the impressive performances of Gabriel Bortoleto and Liam Lawson, noting that Liam Lawson’s impressive battle with Fernando Alonso at the race’s end was thrilling to watch, especially in the intense fight for seventh position on the grid, demonstrating strong racecraft from the young drivers.
Red Bull had a disappointing home race in Austria, failing to score any championship points after Yuki Tsunoda finished last. Tsunoda was further hampered by a ten-second time penalty for a collision with Franco Colapinto, which significantly impacted his final race result.
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